National Green Tribunal Takes Stern Action Over Failed Compensatory Plantations in Rajasthan
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a strong directive to Rajasthan's highest-ranking forest officers, demanding personal intervention and immediate corrective measures following the complete failure of compensatory tree plantations near Kota city. The tribunal's order, dated January 27, requires fresh plantation across 400 hectares of forest areas and disciplinary proceedings against responsible officers.
Serious Environmental Lapse and Financial Misconduct
In a significant development, the NGT's central zone bench in Bhopal, comprising Justice Sheo Kumar Singh (Judicial Member) and Sudhir Kumar Chaturvedi (Expert Member), heard an application filed by Tapeshwar Singh Bhati against the State of Rajasthan and other concerned parties. The application brought to light illegal encroachments and the failure to restore approximately 2,375.86 hectares of forest land, including the Lakhawa I to VIII plantations developed under the Mitigative Measures Scheme linked to National Highway 27.
The tribunal termed the matter a serious environmental lapse that necessitates personal intervention by the state's Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) and Head of Forest Forces (HoFF). The order explicitly states that an action taken report, along with a detailed plantation plan, must be submitted before the next hearing scheduled for March 16, 2026.
Complete Failure of Plantation Efforts and Financial Irregularities
The case revolves around allegations that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) deposited Rs 25.72 crore with the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) for forest diversion clearance involving 111.637 hectares for NH 27. These funds were specifically allocated for critical environmental mitigation measures, including stone masonry walls, fencing, and compensatory plantations across nearly 2,000 hectares.
However, inspection reports by senior forest officers revealed a complete and utter failure on the ground. The additional principal chief conservator of forest, after inspecting the Lakhawa-VIII plantation in May 2024, reported that the plantation had "entirely failed", with almost no surviving saplings. The officer noted that the few plants found alive appeared to be freshly planted near a newly constructed road, raising serious questions about the execution and monitoring of the project.
Gross Negligence and Attempts to Mask Failures
The inspection report flagged "gross negligence" in the implementation, pointing out that payments were drawn despite negligible execution of work. More alarmingly, the report further highlighted expenditure on plantation maintenance as involving "misappropriation and financial misconduct", indicating potential corruption in the handling of public funds meant for environmental conservation.
Subsequent inspections by a joint counting team constituted in May 2025 revealed even more disturbing findings. Across the Lakhawa I to VIII plantations, most saplings were found to be newly replanted, less than 2 feet tall, pencil-thin, and surrounded by fresh JCB activity. This clearly indicated attempts to mask earlier failures rather than genuine restoration efforts.
Tribunal's Observations and Future Directions
Tapeshwar Singh Bhati, the applicant in the case, stated that the tribunal took serious note of the situation. The NGT observed that the fundamental purpose of plantation alongside the highway was not achieved and that this failure has caused significant environmental damage to the region.
The tribunal's order specifically mandates that Rajasthan's top forest officers must:
- Personally intervene in the matter to ensure proper implementation
- Initiate disciplinary action against officers responsible for the failure
- Carry out fresh plantation over 400 hectares in forest areas near Kota city
- Submit a comprehensive action taken report with detailed plantation plan by March 2026
This case highlights the critical importance of accountability and transparency in environmental conservation projects, particularly when substantial public funds are involved. The NGT's intervention serves as a strong reminder that failure to comply with environmental norms and proper utilization of allocated resources will not be tolerated, especially when it compromises ecological balance and public trust.
