The National Green Tribunal has issued show cause notice to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) asking why action should not be initiated against it for not maintaining the mandatory green cover along national and state highways. A bench headed by acting NGT Chairperson Justice Jawad Rahim sought responses from the NHAI, Ministry of Road Transport, Environment Ministry, besides the governments of Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan.
"Issue notice in the nature of show cause to NHAI and the other to show cause why action should not be initiated in the nature of coercive action under the provisions of the NGT Act and the rules made thereunder for the non-compliance of the direction contained in the order dated September 5, 2017.
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"If any steps have been taken, they are permitted to file status report supported with sufficient material in the nature of photographs as also work orders if any. This shall be done within a period of 15 days," the bench said.
The matter is posted for next hearing on May 20.
The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by NGO Society for Protection of Culture, Heritage, Environment, Traditions and Promotion of National Awareness seeking execution of the September 5, 2017 order of the NGT where the NHAI had assured the tribunal that it would follow the Green Highways (Plantation, Transplantation, Beautification and Maintenance) Policy, 2015 in true spirit and substance.
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The plea said that the tribunal had directed the Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan to ensure plantation on government land which are adjacent to the national highway and state highways but no action has been taken by them.
In a detailed order, the NGT had directed the state governments and all local authorities to encourage plantation in public parks and other places wherever it is possible to plant additional trees to ensure better environment and provide greater protection to the ambient air quality prevailing in that area.
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"The state governments and all local authorities shall also issue directions to all group housing societies, commercial plots and land that is allotted by the state government for any office, residential block, that they would plant trees along their boundaries and raise green belts around buildings," the tribunal had said.
The Indian road network of 33 lakh kms is the second largest in the world and stretches to about 96,000 kms of NHs, which constitutes only 1.7 percent of the road network but carries about 40 percent of the total road traffic.
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