The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken serious action regarding the deforestation and hill-cutting for a real estate project in Una, Himachal Pradesh. The NGT has ordered the local administration to investigate and has asked the officials, including the deputy commissioner, divisional forest officer, and others, to submit their replies within a month. This action was taken after a complaint was filed by Una resident Bhavak Parasher in November of last year.
Parasher accused Indu Walia, a local resident and the director of Group Colonisers Private Ltd, of selling plots after mass scale tree-felling and hill-cutting on her 7.5-hectare land in Malahat village near Una town. He claimed that the unauthorized actions led to environmental damage and that the local administration failed to take any action. The Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (HPSPCB) has confirmed that trees were cut, and hills levelled using excavators along the Una-Rakkar national highway, and that the developer did not apply for consent from the board for the project or obtain permission under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act or the Air Act.
In response to the NGT's notice, the HPSPCB reported that during a recent inspection, they found that no construction work had begun and only ground-levelling work was being carried out. The Sada officials also conducted a spot inspection on May 30th of last year and issued a notice to Walia after finding the development of the land to be unauthorized. In the notice, Sada instructed Walia to restore the land to its previous condition before any development took place.
Walia responded by claiming that the land was being developed for personal use and that the project plan for the subdivision of land, as required under the Himachal Pradesh Town and Country Planning (TCP Act), would be submitted soon. According to the TCP rules, the maximum hill cut allowed is 3.50 meters, but during the Sada officials' site inspection, they found that the entire hill had been levelled off to the ground.
Last year, the forest department imposed a penalty of Rs 1 lakh on the promoters of Group Colonisers Private Ltd for cutting trees for the project development. An inquiry by the forest department revealed that trees of japani toot, simbal, and tuni were cut for the project.
The Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) also took action and restrained Group Colonisers Private Ltd's director Indu Walia from advertising, marketing, booking, or selling any plots from her real estate project in Malahat without getting it registered with the authority. RERA has also stayed all sale deeds under process.
To conclude, the NGT's actions demonstrate the importance of protecting the environment and preserving our natural resources. It is crucial that all developers and builders adhere to the rules and regulations set forth to ensure the sustainability of our planet for future generations.
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