The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) to finalize proceedings for the recovery of over Rs 2.65 crore in environmental compensation from Banaras Hindu University (BHU). This penalty has been imposed due to the illegal felling of 33 trees on the university’s campus in Varanasi.
In an order issued on July 7 and made public on Thursday, a bench comprising NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Afroz Ahmad noted that the UPPCB had already assessed the environmental compensation at Rs 2,65,06,877.08 for the unlawful removal of trees. The tribunal extended the deadline for the UPPCB to complete the recovery process, acknowledging that the board had missed an earlier directive to conclude these proceedings within three months of an August 2025 order.
The case originated from a petition filed by advocate Saurabh Tiwari, who alleged that trees were being illegally cut within BHU’s extensive 1,300-acre campus. Following the petition, the NGT constituted a joint committee to investigate the matter. The committee’s report confirmed that 33 trees, including seven sandalwood trees and 26 others of various species, had been felled illegally.
Based on the committee’s findings, the NGT had initially ordered the UPPCB to assess the environmental compensation and recover the amount from BHU within three months. However, after the deadline passed without compliance, Tiwari approached the NGT seeking enforcement of the earlier order. The UPPCB informed the tribunal that recovery proceedings had been delayed due to certain orders from the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court and the Supreme Court.
The tribunal took note of a report from the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), which stated that BHU had undertaken compensatory afforestation by planting 978 saplings in 2025, with 859 of them reported to be surviving and in good condition. Despite these afforestation efforts, the NGT has emphasized the need to finalize the recovery of the environmental compensation.
The NGT’s directive highlights the ongoing efforts to ensure environmental accountability, particularly concerning the preservation of trees and adherence to environmental regulations within educational institutions. The tribunal’s intervention underscores the importance of the NGT’s role in adjudicating environmental disputes and enforcing compliance with environmental laws across India.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
