Tree felling for road expansion in Assam: NGT impleads state’s Chief Secretary, NHIDCL

The National Green Tribunal has made the Assam Chief Secretary and the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd parties in the case related to the alleged cutting of around 2,000 trees for road expansion from Guwahati to Goalpara in the state. 

The tribunal had taken suo motu (on its own) cognisance of a news report regarding the alleged cutting of trees by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). 

A bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A Senthil Vel noted that, during the proceedings, NHAI’s counsel had stated that the NHIDCL undertook the project and the advocate for the PSU sought time to file a response. 

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Underlining that the matter involved a "substantial issue relating to compliance of environmental norms," the bench said it was impleading as respondents (parties) in the matter the Chairman of the NHIDCL and Assam’s Chief Secretary.

"Since the matter relates to Eastern Zone Bench, Kolkata, therefore, it is transferred to the bench for further appropriate action," the tribunal said in an order passed on Tuesday. The matter has been listed for further proceedings on January 10.