NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notices to the Centre, Uttar Pradesh government and multiple authorities over alleged large-scale environmental degradation in Sai Upwan city forest in Ghaziabad, where nearly 70, 000 trees are claimed to have been destroyed due to years of waste dumping and sewage inundation.
Taking cognisance of an original application filed by petitioner Rajendra Tyagi, a former municipal corporator and board member of the Ghaziabad Development Authority, a Bench headed by Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Expert Member Dr Afroz Ahmad directed the authorities to file their replies by way of affidavit at least one week before the next date of hearing on July 2.
The notices have been issued to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Uttar Pradesh government, Central Pollution Control Board, Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, District Magistrate, UP Forest Department, Ghaziabad Development Authority and Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam.
In its order, the NGT recorded that although multiple issues — including illegal construction, encroachment, cattle grazing and non-forest activities — were raised in the plea, the applicant, through counsel Akash Vashishtha, confined the matter at this stage to concerns relating to solid and liquid waste management.