Gurgaon: A Supreme Court panel is set to conduct a site visit following allegations of felling of more than 2,000 fully grown trees and clearing of green cover near Matri Van.During a hearing on Aug 26, central empowered committee (CEC) decided to conduct the site visit in Sector 54.Environmentalist Vaishali Rana had earlier approached CEC alleging that large-scale tree felling and clearing of vegetation had taken place in the area during activities linked to the proposed project.Alleging that more than 2,000 fully grown trees and substantial green cover had been cleared, Rana had sought an independent assessment of the ecological damage, disclosure of permissions and inspection records, environmental compensation and a time-bound restoration plan.The applicant had also questioned land alteration, levelling of natural landforms and alleged irregularities in compensatory plantation works.The plea sought maintenance of status quo over existing vegetation and natural landforms and restraint on further clearing or plantation activity without requisite statutory approvals.The city has witnessed the felling of mature trees for road and metro infrastructure projects in the past. In 2017, around 5,000 trees were cut for flyovers and underpasses along NH8. A year later, permission was granted to chop 10,000 trees for the widening of Sohna Road. Recently, 344 trees were approved for removal between sectors 27 and 43, while many more were cleared along highway stretches in Gurgaon and Rewari forest divisions.On Aug 26, the committee was also apprised of earlier proceedings before Punjab and Haryana high court and directions issued in those proceedings concerning compensatory measures.CEC also directed the real estate’s counsel to update the note earlier submitted in the matter and furnish the revised note to the committee. CEC has not, in these latest proceedings, recorded any finding that the alleged felling of more than 2,000 trees took place.The case has its roots in a dispute over the legal status of activities being undertaken for Maitri Van on land notified under Section 4 of the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA).In a clarification issued on April 8, Haryana forest department had maintained that the proposal for development of Maitri Van had been approved by principal chief conservator of forests (head of forest force) on Aug 12, 2025, while draft MoUs with participating agencies were approved on Aug 14, 2025.The department had specifically stated that activities relating to afforestation, plantation and silvicultural operations in the proposed Maitri Van area did not attract Section 2 of the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980.It had argued that silvicultural and regeneration operations form part of forest conservation, development and management and therefore do not constitute a non-forest purpose.At the April hearing, Haryana forest officials had sought time to file their respective submissions, following which CEC granted four weeks for replies and written submissions.The committee had also indicated that the municipal commissioner or his nominee could be called in the subsequent hearing.
