A significant environmental violation at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) has led to calls for stringent punitive measures. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has been requested to impose heavy fines on BHU and its Vice Chancellor for the illegal cutting of trees within the university’s expansive campus. The plea, filed by petitioner Saurabh Tiwary, comes in response to a panel report confirming the unauthorized felling of 33 trees, including seven sandalwood trees, which are particularly valued for their cultural and commercial importance.
The panel, which includes Varanasi’s Divisional Forest Officer and representatives from the Lucknow regional office of the Union Ministry of Environment Forests and Climate Change, submitted its findings on October 29. The report corroborated Tiwary’s allegations, noting that the said trees were cut and removed under dubious circumstances despite the presence of 24-hour security guards, CCTV surveillance, and strict security at all gates to monitor and prevent unauthorized removal of materials.
In his response dated November 9, Tiwary argued for not only financial penalties but also remedial actions to restore the environmental damage inflicted. He suggested that the magnitude of the fines should reflect the environmental loss and proposed that criminal actions be initiated against the officials found guilty of corruption or misconduct in the case.
Tiwary also expressed skepticism about the university’s internal handling of the incident, alleging that the local police might have colluded with university officials to close the case regarding the theft and illegal felling of sandalwood trees. He advocated for the formation of a high-empowered committee to thoroughly investigate the matter.
Furthermore, the petitioner highlighted the potential of satellite imagery to reveal the extent of tree felling, suggesting that such technology could provide incontrovertible evidence of the environmental changes within the campus.
