New Delhi, July 24 (IANS) The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has summoned the personal presence of Uttarakhand’s Principal Secretary of the Environment and Forest Department, Member Secretary of the Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board and Divisional Commissioner for "lack of sincerity" in a case involving the illegal cutting of trees in Nainital.

A bench presided over by judicial member Justice Sudhir Agarwal said that it was really “surprising” that activity like illegal cutting of trees was going on in Nainital city.

It said, “Number of orders has been passed by the Tribunal from time to time. Responses/reports have also been received from respondents (authorities), but, we find that no categorical response has been filed by respondent authority showing any stringent action taken in the matter with regard to illegal cutting of trees in the concerned area.”

Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board has also miserably failed to take any action whatsoever for the damage caused to the environment due to the illegal cutting of trees, added the Bench, also comprising expert member Dr Afroz Ahmad.

The NGT, exercising its suo-motu jurisdiction, registered an original application under the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 after the issue of illegal cutting of trees in the area adjacent to Nainital City, particularly, Naini Lake was raised through a letter petition in April 2022.

In its order, the tribunal noted that no reply has been filed by the state of Uttarakhand, though it was granted two months' time to file a response.

Earlier in November last year, the Divisional Forest Officer was directed to appear personally for negligence and dereliction of duties but he sought exemption on the ground that he had to attend training at Guwahati.

Advocate Akash Vashishtha, acting as amicus curiae (friend of the court) in his report, inter alia, submitted before the NGT said that a meagre fine has been collected for illegal cutting of trees from some individuals but no stringent action has been taken.

The matter is next listed on August 16.