In an original application alleging illegal tree felling, the National Green Tribunal upheld the Forest Department's report confirming action against culprits and staff, leading to the disposal of the application with no further order.
This page shows the compact analysis of this judgement. The full analysis — procedural history, issue-by-issue holdings with ratio and obiter, advocates, and paragraph-level evidence for every claim — is being added to the record in batches and will appear here when this judgement has been through it.
Item No.27 Court No. 1
BEFORE THE NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL PRINCIPAL BENCH, NEW DELHI
Original Application No. 1398/2024
Dhrampal & Anr. Applicant(s)
Versus
State of Uttar Pradesh & Ors.
Respondent(s)
Date of hearing: 09.07.2026
CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE PRAKASH SHRIVASTAVA, CHAIRPERSON HON’BLE DR. AFROZ AHMAD, EXPERT MEMBER
Applicant: Mr. Tarun Cummra, Adv. for Applicant
Respondents: Mr. Bhanwar Pal Singh Jadon, Ms. Gargi Chaturvedi & Ms. Anjali Sharma, Advs. for R - 1, 3, 5 to 8 (Through VC) Mr. Pradeep Misra & Daleep Dhyani, Advs. for UPPCB (Through VC)
ORDER
“3. Accordingly, we constitute a joint Committee comprising Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (hereinafter referred to as "PCFF"), Uttar Pradesh; District Magistrate, Baghpat; Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (hereinafter referred to as "UPPCB"); and Regional Officer, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (hereinafter referred to as "MoEF&CC"), Lucknow.
4. PCCF shall be the nodal authority for coordination and compliance of this order.”
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“Joint committee members did site inspection on 17/02/2025 of site mentioned in OA. Following are the field inspection observations of Committee: -
1. Nature of land: Notified Reserved Forest area- Sahpur banganga and kohinabad forest block nearby Shahpur banganga Village.
2. Felling of trees: Committee observed few stumps of tree felled as mentioned in OA. All stumps were found to be of only one species i.e. Prosopis juliflora and no felling of other species was observed. Prima facie few stumps were of more than 1-2 years old. As per the action taken report shown by Forest department Baghpat total 44 old and new stumps/branches were counted by enquiry committee. No tree felling beyond this was observed during field visit.
3. Allegation about encroachment after illegal tree felling: All stumps were found deep inside the forest block & no evidence of encroachment after tree felling and clearing of vegetation was observed.
4. Legal action taken by forest department baghpat: As per the records shared by Forest Department Social forestry division, baghpat complaint was made to forest department on 27th August 2024. DFO Baghpat ordered an enquiry vide letter number 343/28-3 dated 02/09/2024 to be conducted by Assistant Conservator of Forest, Social Forestry division Meerut to verify facts about illegal tree felling. DFO baghpat vide letter number 04/2-42(PC)/ Baghapt dated 05/09/2024 suspended local Forest Guard/Forest Beat incharge for dereliction of duty and not taking effective actions in the tree felling matter. Disciplinary proceedings have also been started against both Forest guard & Forester(Forest Section incharge) for not taking effective action. Legal action against the culprits is under process. Overall as per field visit observations and official documents presented by Social forestry division Baghpat the timber/fuel value as per the UP Forest department scheduled rate has been assessed at Rs. 58,664/- Appropriate disciplinary/legal action was taken by Forest department as per fact finding report of ACF Meerut. Chargesheet has been served to both Forest Guard & Forester for lack of effective timely enforcement and forest protection.
felling of 44 trees had been done in the notified reserved forest area-
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Sahpur Banganga and Kohinabad Forest Block nearby Shahpur Banganga Village.
4. That, it is most humbly submitted that as previously submitted vide Affidavit dated 23.04.2025 at para 4 (kindly refer to the judicial page no. 72), illegal felling of 44 trees belonging to the 'Prosopis Juliflora' species within the Notified Reserved Forest Area was observed against which punitive legal action has been initiated against the accused by the Deponent Department. 28.09.2026.
5. That, in respect of the illegal felling of the aforesaid 44 trees, Range Case No. 32/2023-24 is registered against accused Danish s/o Yakoob for illegal felling of 03 trees; Range Case No. 14/2024-25 is registered against accused Danish s/o Yakoob for illegal felling of 21 trees; and Range Case No. 30/2024-25 is registered against accused persons Sagar s/o Sundar and Sundar s/o Mamchand for illegal felling of 20 trees. It is further submitted that, upon completion of the investigation in all three Range Cases, complaint cases have been filed before the Court of the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate, Baghpat, for further proceedings in accordance with law. Copies of proceedings in Range Case Numbers 32/2023-24, 14/2024-25 and 30/2024-25 are annexed herewith and marked as Annexure-1, Annexure-2 and Annexure-3 respectively.
6. That, in compliance with directions of the Hon'ble Tribunal, departmental proceeding has been carried out against the negligent forest staff namely Forest Guard Mr. Mohit Chaudhary and Van Daroga/Forester Mr. Rahul Kumar Nain under the UP-Government Servants' Conduct Rules, 1956 including proceedings for recovery of loss caused to the Government due to illegal felling of trees.
7. That, vide Order No. 04/2-42(P.C.) dated 05.09.2024, the deponent department placed Forest Guard Mr. Mohit Chaudhary under suspension, which was subsequently
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revoked vide Order No. 06/2-1 dated 13.11.2024. Thereafter, upon conclusion of the departmental inquiry, the deponent department, vide Order No. 02/2-20-Baghpat dated 18.10.2025, imposed a penalty of Rs. 29,332/- upon Forest Guard Mr. Mohit Chaudhary, being 1/2 of the assessed value (Rs. 58,664/-) of 44 'Prosopis Juliflora' trees found to have been illegally felled, with recovery directed from his salary. Additionally, a departmental censure/warning has been issued to him.
8. That, vide Order No. 44/2-42 dated 29.05.2025, the departmental inquiry was concluded against Van Daroga/Forester, Mr. Rahul Kumar Nain.
6. The above reply reveals that needful has been done and necessary action has been taken. Therefore, no further order in this original application is required which is accordingly disposed of.
Prakash Shrivastava, CP
Dr. Afroz Ahmad, EM
July 09, 2026 Original Application No. 1398/2024 JG.
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1 provisions across 1 enactments
Dhrampal & Anr.
State of Uttar Pradesh & Ors.
Prakash Shrivastava
Afroz Ahmad
As recorded by the court registry
An original application before a tribunal, most commonly a service dispute before the Central or a State Administrative Tribunal.
Judgements on the same questions, provisions and authorities, from every court
