The National Green Tribunal’s Central Zone Bench in Bhopal has expressed grave concern over the failure of compensatory afforestation and alleged mismanagement of public funds in forest areas near Kota district, Rajasthan. The bench, led by Justice Sheo Kumar Singh and Sudhir Kumar Chaturvedi, addressed a case filed by Tapeshwar Singh Bhati against the State of Rajasthan and others. The case highlighted issues of illegal encroachment and the inability to restore forest land spanning approximately 2,375.86 hectares, including various plantation sites developed under the Mitigative Measures Scheme linked to forest diversion for National Highway-27 (NH-27).
Fresh inspection reports presented during the proceedings revealed that despite the National Highways Authority of India depositing Rs 25.72 crore for compensatory measures like construction of walls, fencing, and tree plantations, the plantations had largely failed with minimal sapling survival rates. The reports also indicated suspicious re-plantation efforts to conceal past failures, raising concerns about compliance and accountability. The Tribunal emphasized the severity of the situation, citing gross negligence, implementation lapses, and potential misappropriation of public funds leading to significant environmental harm and forest cover loss.
In response to the alarming findings, the NGT issued notices to all involved parties and instructed Arijit Banerjee, Rajasthan’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, to personally investigate the matter. Additionally, the bench mandated disciplinary actions against officials accountable for the shortcomings and called for a new plantation plan covering a minimum of 400 hectares, with stringent monitoring to ensure plantation survival. An Action Taken Report, coupled with a comprehensive plantation and restoration strategy, is required before the upcoming court session scheduled for March 16, 2026.
