National Green Tribunal: In an execution application seeking compliance with the direction to the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) to plant compensatory plantation for illegal cutting of 33 trees, and direction to the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UP PCB) to assess and recover environmental compensation from the University, the Bench of Justice Prakash Shrivastava (Chairperson) and Dr Afroz Ahmad (Expert Member) noted that environmental compensation was assessed at ₹2,65,26,877.08 and granted further time to the UP PCB to complete the levying of the compensation.
The matter arose from an execution application seeking compliance with a previous order passed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on 11 August 2025.
The said order was passed in the original application, wherein the applicant had alleged illegal felling of trees within the BHU campus at Varanasi. After considering the report of a Joint Committee constituted by the NGT and hearing the parties, the NGT found that 33 trees had been illegally cut. It accordingly directed the University to plant at least 20 trees for every illegally cut tree and further directed UP PCB to assess and recover environmental compensation from the University after affording it an opportunity of hearing and complying with the principles of natural justice.
Respondent 7, the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), submitted that the University had complied with the NGT’s direction regarding compensatory plantation and that the compliance had been verified through a Joint Committee. It was stated that the DFO had, by letter dated 27 June 2026, called upon the University to furnish information regarding the 20-times compensatory afforestation required against the 33 illegally felled trees. On the same day, a 6-member Joint Committee headed by the Regional Forest Officer, Varanasi, was constituted to verify the factual position.
The Joint Committee conducted a site inspection on 29 June 2026 to ascertain compliance with the NGT’s directions and submitted its inspection report dated 30 June 2026. The report recorded that the University had planted about 978 trees of different species during 2025, of which 859 trees were found to be surviving in a safe condition.
Taking note of the affidavit dated 4 July 2026 filed by the DFO and the Joint Committee’s inspection report, the NGT observed that the University had undertaken compensatory plantation in terms of its earlier directions. It further noted the University’s submission that the 859 surviving saplings exceeded the number of trees required to be planted under the order passed in the original application.
With regard to the assessment of environmental compensation, the UP PCB submitted that, in compliance with the NGT’s directions, an inspection had been conducted on 24 October 2025. It further stated that letters dated 18 June 2026 and 22 June 2026 had been issued to the DFO, Varanasi, and the Vice-Chancellor of BHU, respectively, seeking information necessary for assessment of environmental compensation. The requisite information was subsequently furnished by the Forest Department on 2 July 2026 and by the University on 29 June 2026, confirming that 33 trees had been illegally felled within the University campus.
The UP PCB further stated that the environmental compensation had been assessed in accordance with the methodology adopted by the National Green Tribunal in Pramod Tyagi v. State (NCT of Delhi), 2023 SCC OnLine NGT 6792, taking into account factors like cost, trunk area, species, condition, location and royalty value.
On that basis, the environmental compensation for the illegal felling of 33 trees, including Mango, Gulmohar, Mahua, Kathal, Sagwan and White Chandan, was assessed at ₹ 2,65,26,877.08. It was further stated that the assessment report had been forwarded on 3 July 2026 for necessary action to impose the environmental compensation and that further steps for its imposition were under process.
The UP PCB submitted that it had already assessed the environmental compensation and was in the process of levying the same. It assured the NGT that the proceedings for the levy of the environmental compensation would be completed within 3 months.
The NGT observed that the UP PCB had failed to comply with its earlier direction to complete the proceedings within 3 months from the date of the order passed in the original application. However, considering the circumstances disclosed by the UP PCB, the NGT granted a further period of 3 months to complete the proceedings for the levy of the environmental compensation.
Accordingly, the execution application was disposed of.
[Saurabh Tiwari v. Union of India, EA No. 15 of 2026, decided on 7-7-2026]
Advocates who appeared in this case:
For the applicant: Saurabh Tiwari, in Person (Through VC)
For the respondents: Bhanwar Pal Singh Jadon, Disha Tiwari & Shivansh Sharma, Advocates for R — 6 to 8
Naveen Kumar, Advocate for R — 1 (Through VC)
Sthavi Asthana, Advocate for UPPCB
Abhishek Singh, J. Amal Anand, Elvin Joshy, Shivani Kalra, K.V. Vibu Prasad & Akshat Mishra, Advocates for R — 2
Amit Singh Chauhan, Udit Chauhan & Vanshika Sharma, Advocates for R – 4
