NGT panel recommends FIR against Barnala trust officials over tree felling

Chandigarh/Bathinda: A joint committee constituted by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has recommended registration of an FIR against officials of the Barnala Improvement Trust for allegedly being complicit in illegal tree felling and misappropriation of timber at a 25-acre site in Barnala.The committee also recommended disciplinary proceedings against the officials for alleged dereliction of duty and sought imposition of financial penalties.The applicant, Gurpreet Singh of Kahneke village near Barnala, had alleged that nearly 140 green heritage trees, many around 50 years old, were uprooted from the vacant land belonging to the improvement trust. The petition claimed that the trees were removed while clearing the site after eviction of people living in jhuggies on Jan 31, allegedly to facilitate commercial exploitation of the land.He claimed that the trees included neem, banyan, peepal, mulberry, teak, kikar, tahli and jand. The three-member panel, comprising Sangrur divisional forest officer Kaushal Kishore, Central Pollution Control Board scientist (E) J P Meena and Union ministry of environment and forests technical officer Sunny Goel, visited the site on April 30 following NGT directions issued on March 23.The committee said it could not conclusively ascertain the exact number of trees felled as only roots and scattered branches were found at the site. It also inspected storage premises where some logs were found, though the quantity appeared insufficient to account for the total number of trees allegedly cut. Statements of officials and local residents were also recorded.Referring to the Tree Preservation Policy for Non-Forest Govt and Public Lands-2024, the panel observed that district-level officers were responsible for ensuring no tree felling took place without approval under the policy. Since officials of the trust were allegedly involved, the committee advised the NGT to direct the Barnala SSP to register an FIR under relevant IPC provisions, including theft of public property and criminal breach of trust.The committee also noted "gross dereliction of duty" by trust officials and recommended disciplinary action under the Punjab Civil Services (Punishment and Appeal) Rules. It further observed that the alleged felling violated a blanket ban imposed by the Punjab and Haryana high court in Dec 2025 and said legal action for wilful disobedience of court orders could also be considered.BOXPENALTY, COMPENSATORY PLANTATION RECOMMENDED After the felling, the forest department assessed the commercial value of the uprooted wood. Based on girth measurements and the Schedule of Compensation Rates-2025, the value of 55 identifiable trees was estimated at around Rs 1.31 lakh. The committee recommended recovery of the amount as penalty from the officials concerned.The panel also recommended compensatory plantation at a 1:5 ratio with mandatory maintenance for five years. It said saplings should be at least four to five feet tall and planted preferably at the same site or elsewhere within the district. The committee further recommended marking all remaining standing trees at the site to prevent any future unauthorised felling.