The wetlands in Uttar Pradesh continue to be in a deplorable state. After the Dadri wetland, which has become a victim of encroachment, trees in the Surajpur wetland are purportedly being felled and sold off as timber.
Environmental activist Vikrant Tongad, who has been raising the issue, said the trees are being felled in connivance with the employees of the Forest Department. Surajpur wetland has the protection status of a reserved forest area.
Falling under the jurisdiction of the Greater Noida Development Authority, it is an urban wetland.
Mr. Tongad raised the issue with the authorities concerned and wrote to the Centre after he spotted two men carrying at least 15-20 mature trees from the wetland late last year.
Mr. Tongad said he immediately phoned the forest officials and reported the matter.
“In the meantime, a Forest Department employee came to me and tried to cover up the matter. He said the trees were obstructing the way and were, therefore, cut. He also said that the felled trees are being taken to the Forest Department’s warehouse,” he said.
Upon further inquiry, he found out that the trees were taken towards Dadri and not the godown.
Mr. Tongad said he “contacted the senior officials of the Greater Noida Development Authority who confirmed that the trees were felled illegally”.
Seeking action against those found involved in the illegal activity, Mr. Tongad then wrote to the Ministry of Environment & Forests. His complaint was then sent to the CEO of the Greater Noida Development Authority and the divisional forest officer of Uttar Pradesh.
In response to his complaint, DFO Ghaziabad B.P. Singh wrote to him that his complaint is being looked into by the forest conservator, Meerut.
When contacted, the forest conservator of Meerut, S. Awasthi, said, “The complaint has been sent for inquiry. The sub-divisional officer, Ghaziabad, is inquiring into it. The report is yet to come,” he said.
Mr. Tongad said, “Surajpur is not only a wetland but also a reserved forest area. Any activity inside a reserved forest area requires permission from the Centre.”
He also said a one-member committee was formed to look into his complaint but the officials did not bother to take him in the loop. He said he is worried that the incident is not an isolated case.
However, Anand Mohan of the Horticulture Department of Greater Noida denied any illegal felling of trees.
