With continued threat to the Taj Mahal due to pollution around it, the National Green Tribunal has directed the local commissioner, probing illegal felling of 4,000 trees in the Eco-Sensitive Zone near the Taj Mahal, to submit the final inspection report by December 16. According to the report, a former Agra DFO had allegedly cut trees within 500m radius of the Taj Mahal, which was declared an eco-sensitive zone in 2011-12.

80 percent trees felled:

About 80 percent of adult trees in the area have been allegedly felled. The trees in this zone cannot be felled without the permission of the apex court. The NGT had in July taken suo motu cognizance of the media report about the incident.

“What is this going on? We had given blanket orders to assist the local commissioner. Give us a final report or close down the matter. List this matter on December 16, 2015 and by that the report must come on record. On that date the final report should be positively filed by advocate M C Mehta. He is at liberty to take assistance from any institution he wants,” the bench said.

Advocate General Vijay Bahadur Singh, appearing for Uttar Pradesh government, said that the matter has been pending since long and the local commissioner appointed by the tribunal was delaying the proceedings in the case.

“Nothing adverse has come in the interim report as there is no mention of cutting of trees by the local commissioner. This matter should come to an end now,” he said.

Mehta had stated that further study would be required with the aid of the specialised agency to submit a final report in the case. The tribunal had directed an inquiry into the issue after taking note of a media report and issued notice to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests and Uttar Pradesh government.