Contractor chops 37 trees, forest dept files case against railways

Ghaziabad: A railways contractor chopped 37 trees along the tracks between Ganganagar Railway Bridge and Manota village in Muradnagar for infrastructure work earlier this week allegedly without obtaining permission from the forest department.
The department has registered a case in the matter against the railways under UP Protection of Trees Act.
According to Range forest officer modinagar, Amit Singh, the land along the railway line belongs to the railways.An investigation has been started against railway contractor Neeraj Meerut, for chopping down 37 trees of different varieties, Singh said. Only traces of the trees are left on the spot now, he added.
“The railways department could have easily taken permission and we would have granted it, but they had not taken any. We have registered a case against the department under the UP Protection of Trees Act, 1976. Under this, they have to give their explanation or a hefty fine could be imposed on them,” DFO Singh said.
Railways officials refused to comment when approached on the matter.
On June 4, two employees of a Modinagar factory were booked for allegedly chopping 47 trees on its premises. Police said the land belonged to Modi Rubber Factory, and it hadn't been in use for 20 years.
According to forest department data, at least 13,571 have been felled in Ghaziabad over the last five years.