BHU faces Rs 2.65 crore environmental penalty over illegal felling of 33 trees
The National Green Tribunal has extended the deadline for UP Pollution Control Board to recover environmental compensation of over Rs 2.65 crore from Banaras Hindu University for illegal felling of 33 trees.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) to complete proceedings within three months to recover an environmental compensation of more than Rs 2.65 crore from Banaras Hindu University (BHU) for the illegal felling of 33 trees on its Varanasi campus.
In an order dated July 7, made public on Thursday, a bench comprising NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Afroz Ahmad noted that the UPPCB had already assessed an environmental compensation of Rs 2,65,06,877.08 for the illegal tree felling and that proceedings to impose the penalty were underway.
According to a PTI report, the tribunal extended the timeline after observing that the pollution control board had failed to comply with its earlier direction to complete the exercise within three months of its August 2025 order.
"Though the UPPCB has not carried out the direction of the Tribunal to complete the proceedings within three months... considering the circumstances disclosed, we extend the time further and direct the UPPCB to complete the proceedings concerning the levy of environmental compensation," the order said.
The case stems from a petition filed by advocate Saurabh Tiwari, who alleged that trees were being illegally felled inside BHU's sprawling 1,300-acre campus.
Following the petition, the NGT constituted a joint committee, which found that 33 trees, including seven sandalwood trees and 26 others of different species, had been cut illegally.
Based on the committee's findings, the tribunal, in August last year, directed the UPPCB to assess the environmental compensation and complete recovery proceedings within three months.
After the deadline elapsed without compliance, Tiwari moved the NGT through an execution application seeking enforcement of its order.
According to the petitioner, the UPPCB informed him that recovery could not be initiated due to certain orders passed by the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court and the Supreme Court.
During the latest hearing, however, counsel for the pollution control board informed the tribunal that the compensation had now been quantified and the recovery process had begun.
The tribunal also took note of a report submitted by the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), which stated that BHU had undertaken compensatory afforestation by planting 978 trees in 2025. Of these, 859 saplings were found to be surviving and in healthy condition during inspection.
While recording the progress made in compensatory plantation, the NGT directed the UPPCB to complete the proceedings for recovery of the environmental compensation within the extended three-month period.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) to complete proceedings within three months to recover an environmental compensation of more than Rs 2.65 crore from Banaras Hindu University (BHU) for the illegal felling of 33 trees on its Varanasi campus.
In an order dated July 7, made public on Thursday, a bench comprising NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Afroz Ahmad noted that the UPPCB had already assessed an environmental compensation of Rs 2,65,06,877.08 for the illegal tree felling and that proceedings to impose the penalty were underway.
According to a PTI report, the tribunal extended the timeline after observing that the pollution control board had failed to comply with its earlier direction to complete the exercise within three months of its August 2025 order.
"Though the UPPCB has not carried out the direction of the Tribunal to complete the proceedings within three months... considering the circumstances disclosed, we extend the time further and direct the UPPCB to complete the proceedings concerning the levy of environmental compensation," the order said.
The case stems from a petition filed by advocate Saurabh Tiwari, who alleged that trees were being illegally felled inside BHU's sprawling 1,300-acre campus.
Following the petition, the NGT constituted a joint committee, which found that 33 trees, including seven sandalwood trees and 26 others of different species, had been cut illegally.
Based on the committee's findings, the tribunal, in August last year, directed the UPPCB to assess the environmental compensation and complete recovery proceedings within three months.
After the deadline elapsed without compliance, Tiwari moved the NGT through an execution application seeking enforcement of its order.
According to the petitioner, the UPPCB informed him that recovery could not be initiated due to certain orders passed by the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court and the Supreme Court.
During the latest hearing, however, counsel for the pollution control board informed the tribunal that the compensation had now been quantified and the recovery process had begun.
The tribunal also took note of a report submitted by the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), which stated that BHU had undertaken compensatory afforestation by planting 978 trees in 2025. Of these, 859 saplings were found to be surviving and in healthy condition during inspection.
While recording the progress made in compensatory plantation, the NGT directed the UPPCB to complete the proceedings for recovery of the environmental compensation within the extended three-month period.
