A plea alleging nexus between “timber mafia and officials” behind the recent fire incidents in Uttarakhand prompted the National Green Tribunal today to restrain the State government from felling of trees for road construction in the State.

“We restrain the Government of Uttarakhand and the contractors from cutting and felling any trees from forestland for the purposes of melting the coal tar for laying metalled road in the State,” a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said.

CBI probe sought

The order came after the State government failed to file its response on a plea seeking a CBI inquiry into the forest fires in the State.

The tribunal noted that despite grant of opportunity, no reply has been filed by the State government and the administration was unable to dispute the fact that the trees are being cut and burnt for melting the coal tar for laying road.

During the hearing, Sugriva Dubey, lawyer for the petitioner, referred to a RTI reply from the Public Works Department which said that wood was being used for melting coal tar during construction and repair of roads in Nainintal and Almora districts of Uttarakhand.

The matter is listed for next hearing on August 3.

The tribunal was hearing a plea by NGO Friends which had alleged that a “nexus of timber mafia, some greedy villagers and officials” was suspected to be behind the fire incidents which have caused severe degradation of the environment.

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