NGT orders report on illegal tree felling in Delhi

In a landmark order, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on May 12, 2026 directed the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & Head of Forest Force (PCCF & HoFF), Delhi to obtain information from all the tree officers in Delhi regarding illegal tree felling complaints made during the last five years.

This information must include the action taken / orders passed regarding these complaints, the compliance status of compensatory plantation based on those orders, and the compiled information must be uploaded to the website of the Forest and Wildlife Department or the Government of NCT of Delhi website within three months.

PCCF (HoFF) was also directed to issue within three months appropriate instructions to all the tree officers to take prompt action and dispose of complaints regarding illegal felling of trees in accordance with the provisions of the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994 within reasonable time, which may also be specified.

Compensatory plantation must be ensured according to norms during the upcoming monsoon / one year from the date of the order, as the case may be, the order passed by Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi said.

The tribunal gave directions to the PCCF (HoFF), Delhi; Deputy Conservator of Forests (North Division), Delhi; SHO, Police Station, Sultanpuri and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to take action regarding illegal tree felling within a reasonable time.

The matter concerned the illegal cutting of green trees in the green belt / forest area of the Mangolpuri-Sultanpuri drain during 2023 and 2025, using JCB and cutter machines in violation of environmental norms.

The joint committee found evidence regarding illegal felling of trees in the area in 2023 but the Joint Committee did not find such evidence in 2025.

The court was informed that on May 30, 2025, the beat officer inspected the site and observed that 40 trees had been illegally felled without permission and in violation of the provisions of the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994. Notices under the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994 were issued to the Irrigation and Flood Control Department.

In this case, the Joint Committee constituted by the Tribunal recommended directing the North Forest Division to conclude its proceedings, which have been pending since 2023.

On September 4, 2025, the Deputy Conservator of Forests (North Division), Delhi, issued an order under the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994. This order directed the Irrigation and Flood Control Department, as the land-owning agency for the offence site, to plant 400 native trees, each at least seven feet tall, within one month in the vicinity of the offence site in the stretch of the Mangolpuri-Sultanpuri drain. The department was further directed to submit a quarterly compliance report.

However, no information has been received regarding whether the Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Delhi carried out compensatory plantation of 400 native trees near the site.

The court was informed that the complaint regarding illegal felling of trees was made by the applicant to Deputy Conservator of Forests (North Division), Delhi on March 10, 2023. The Deputy Conservator of Forests (North Division), Delhi conducted only one hearing — on July 5, 2023.

The facts of the case reflect a very "sorry state of affairs where the authorities entrusted with the responsibility of preserving trees have not only failed to prevent illegal felling but have also failed to take any prompt action according to the provisions of the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994". It has come to the notice of the court that "the concerned officers do not take prompt action and even orders for compensatory plantation are not complied with for long periods of time".

AQI improved in Anpara city, Sonbhadra

The measures undertaken under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) have resulted in a significant reduction in air pollution levels in Anpara city, Sonbhadra district from 2019-2020 till the present period, according to a response filed by the district magistrate, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh on May 12, 2026 to National Green Tribunal (NGT).

The PM10 concentration, which was recorded at 169 µg / m³ during the baseline year 2019–2020, has reduced to an average concentration of 138.97 µg / m³ during the period 2025–2026, noted the report filed in compliance with the NGT on November 6, 2025. The improvement was attributed to sustained implementation of various air pollution control and mitigation measures.

In order to study the air quality status of Anpara, a memorandum of understanding was executed between the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board and Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur. Following this, a study was conducted by IIT Kanpur. Its findings in the form of a report titled Comprehensive Source Apportionment, Emission Inventory and Carrying Capacity for the Anpara City has been completed and has presently been submitted before the peer review committee for review.

In addition, a study titled Rapid Study of Source Apportionment and Carrying Capacity of Anpara City, Uttar Pradesh has been conducted by the Department of Civil Engineering, Centre for Environmental Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology and the Final Report (April 2023) has been submitted to the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, Lucknow. Under NCAP, the city action plan for Anpara was approved in 2019 and the Annual Action Plan for 2025-2026 was approved by the district / city-level implementation committee on October 24, 2025.

The Nagar Panchayat of Anpara, Sonbhadra regularly updates and files the annual action plan cum-micro plan quarterly through the “Portal for Regulation of Air Pollution in Non-Attainment Cities” (PRANA), the reporting portal developed by CPCB.

The major pollution control and mitigation measures undertaken and implemented in Anpara city as per the action plan include the installation and operation of air pollution control systems / devices by industries, such as electrostatic precipitators, bag filters, flue gas desulphurisation systems, wet scrubbers and selective catalytic reduction systems.

Another step involved establishing continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations in industries, all of which are connected to CPCB servers for monitoring of ambient air quality, which is done using two manual stations in Sonbhadra district.

The average ambient air quality data recorded at the Anpara Manual Monitoring Station for the period 2022-2023 and 2025-2026 reflects gradual improvement in the air quality parameters, including PM10 concentration and Air Quality Index (AQI).

An application was registered suo motu by NGT on the basis of Air Quality Bulletins published by CPCB on its official website for the period from October 20, 2023 to November 1, 2023. The said bulletins reflected that AQI in various cities had deteriorated to the “very poor” and, in certain areas, even to the “severe” category.

Textile industries pollution in Jaipur

The central bench of NGT on May 12, 2026 heard the case related to the violation of environmental norms by industries engaged in the textile printing business in Jaipur district of Rajasthan.

The counsel for Rajasthan submitted that in compliance with the previous order, the common effluent treatment plant was made functional and around 907 units have been connected to it. It was further reported that the matter was still pending before the Supreme Court.

The tribunal directed that the latest status of the matter pending before the SC be put up.

Key findings of State of India's Environment In Figures 2023

Related Stories

Mizoram is where honesty and hospitality define culture

Daily Court Digest: Major environment orders (May 14, 2026)

New Zealand moves to protect companies from private climate lawsuits

Daily Court Digest: Major environment orders (May 13, 2026)