Jaipur, March 10 (NationPress) The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has shifted a case regarding the alleged unlawful felling of approximately 90 trees in Dholpur, Rajasthan, to its Central Zone Bench in Bhopal. This case raises significant environmental issues as it pertains to accusations of uprooting several mature and fruit-bearing trees using heavy machinery in a residential area.

The matter was initially reviewed by the NGT’s Principal Bench in New Delhi and was logged as Original Application No 124/2026. It began following a letter petition from Ram Naresh Sharma, a resident of Housing Board Colony on Bari Road in Dholpur.

The Tribunal classified the complaint as an original application under its suo motu jurisdiction, in line with the precedents established in the case of Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai vs Ankita Sinha.

The petition claims that around 90 green and mature trees situated in a garden adjacent to Housing Board Colony were allegedly cut down on October 15, 2025, using JCB machinery. The trees in question included various species valued for their ecological and medicinal properties, such as mango, peepal, banyan, amla, lemon, guava, coconut, date palm, and kadamba, alongside other medicinal plants.

The complainant asserts that these trees were cultivated and cared for over more than 21 years, playing a crucial role in the region's green cover. He alleged that officials from the Rajasthan Housing Board, in collusion with local authorities and land mafia elements, orchestrated the removal of the trees following the allocation of land for residential development.

The case was addressed by a Bench consisting of Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi (Judicial Member) and Dr A. Senthil Vel (Expert Member) on Monday. During the session, the Bench observed that the applicant did not appear on the scheduled hearing date.

Rather than dismissing the case for non-appearance, the Tribunal provided an adjournment, offering the applicant another chance to engage in the proceedings. As the incident transpired in Rajasthan, which is under the jurisdiction of the NGT Central Zone Bench, the Tribunal mandated that the case be moved to the Bhopal Bench for continued hearings.

The Registry has been directed to present the matter before the Bhopal Bench on March 27, 2026, after securing necessary administrative approvals from the Chairperson. This case is anticipated to investigate claims of environmental infringements and ascertain whether the appropriate permissions were secured prior to the removal of the trees.