The National Green Tribunal (NGT) is closely scrutinizing the unauthorized felling of trees within the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) campus, including seven valuable sandalwood trees, as reported by the divisional forest officer (DFO) of Varanasi. The recent disclosure reveals a total of 161 trees were cut down, surpassing the permitted count of 135.
The DFO’s findings were detailed in a report submitted on October 31 and subsequently uploaded on the NGT’s website this Friday. This action followed a July 31 NGT hearing on a complaint regarding illegal tree felling at BHU, which prompted an investigation by a joint committee including the regional office of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
Among the felled trees were 26 types that were cut without any authorization from the forest department, a breach that was communicated to the inspector general, Lucknow regional office of the MoEFCC, in mid-October. Additionally, the highly prized sandalwood trees were found to have been cut illegally, sparking significant concern due to their high value and the strict regulations surrounding their use.
In response to the permitted felling, the university had previously planted 1,630 saplings as compensation. However, the report highlights the unreported and unauthorized removal of the sandalwood trees, which the forest department was unaware of until recently. Investigations revealed that the sandalwood trees were stolen on October 13, with their entire wood missing, yet this specific detail was omitted from the official FIR lodged regarding the tree theft.
The Varanasi forest conservator’s letter to the MoEFCC provides further insights, noting that despite robust security measures including 24-hour guards, CCTV surveillance, and secured gates around the university, the theft and subsequent disappearance of the wood occurred under suspicious circumstances.
