HC slams MP govt over tree felling:Says, ‘You are lucky to live in MP; see polluted states’; orders state-wide ban without NGT approval

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has strongly reprimanded the state government over rampant tree felling, directing that no tree should be cut anywhere in the state without the approval of the High-Power Committee constituted by the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The court was hearing a suo motu public interest litigation after hundreds of trees were felled near the Bhojpur–Bairasia road for construction without mandatory permission. On Wednesday, the court expanded the scope of the petition to the entire state. Assembly asked to submit details on MLA quarters project The High Court has directed the MP Legislative Assembly to submit details on: The bench also asked the government to appoint Tree Officers as mandated under the 2001 Act. Court’s sharp remark: “You are lucky to live in MP” During the hearing, the bench remarked: You are fortunate to live in Madhya Pradesh. Officers granting permission to cut trees should live for a few days in polluted states; only then will they realise the importance of trees. The court added that the rampant felling of decades-old trees in Bhopal and other districts amounted to the destruction of green cover, which cannot be labelled as “development.” NGT rules ignored, says court Under NGT norms, the state government must constitute a committee for clearing tree-cutting proposals. Senior officials from the Assembly Secretariat, PWD, Railways, and Forest Department appeared before the court. The next hearing is scheduled for December 17, before the bench of Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf. Intervenor Nitin Saxena informed the court—citing a Dainik Bhaskar report—that a proposal to cut 244 more trees for constructing residential complexes in Bhopal is pending. He also highlighted a new trend of cutting trees under the pretext of “shifting,” prompting the court to summon seven officials. The detailed order is awaited. REPORT: Pollution levels above national limits in 19 states A satellite-based report by energy and clean-air research organisation CREA shows that air pollution in India is far more widespread than assumed: Regions including Delhi, Tripura, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, and Chandigarh exceeded the national limits in all seasons except monsoon. The 50 most polluted districts are concentrated in Delhi, Assam, Haryana, and Bihar. Delhi remains the most polluted with an annual average PM2.5 of 101 µg/m³, over 2.5 times the national limit. Pollution levels in the Northeast are also worsening, while Puducherry recorded the lowest level at 25 µg/m³.