Notice to Centre on construction in Haridwar’s forest area

An environment activist on Friday moved the National Green Tribunal against encroachment and illegal constructions in the forest area of Haridwar in Uttarakhand, prompting the green panel to seek response from the government on the issue.

A Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar issued notices to the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), Uttarakhand government, Uttarakhand Environment Protection and Pollution Control Board and others seeking their replies by January 5, the next date of hearing. The directions came while hearing the plea by Gauri Maulekhi against large-scale constructions by some religious institutions in the forests of Shyampur range in Haridwar forest division.

"Large scale construction and felling of trees are being done in the forest area in violation of Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 in Reserve Forest area. Further, these constructions are also done on the flood plain of river, within 200 metres from river Ganga.

"These construction activities and felling of trees are happening in Shivalik Elephant Reserve and on the boundary of and even inside Rajaji National Park and Tiger Reserve," the plea, filed through advocate Rahul Choudhary, said.

Maulekhi alleged that the authorities concerned have failed to take any step to stop these illegal constructions in "prime elephant and tiger habitat". "The large scale constructions other than small encroachment are done by Dakshinkali temple, Maa Chandi Devi Purohit residential area, Chandikeshwar Mahadev avam Ved Karmkand vidyalaya, Gauri Shankar temple parking area and encroachment by several others," it said.