JUDGMENT

L. NAGESWARA RAO, J.

1. This appeal is directed against the judgment dated 05.04.2019 passed by the National Green Tribunal, Principal Bench, New Delhi (hereinafter, ‘the Tribunal’) in Original Application No.626 of 2016.

2. The Appellant who is a Journalist and Editor of Jan Lok Kesari which is a Hindi Newspaper having circulation in Uttarakhand, filed the application in public interest as he was concerned about the environmental damage caused by Respondent No.4 to 8. He alleged in the O.A. before the Tribunal that there was a large-scale felling of trees in private forests located at Patti Dhamnsu, Narendranagar, District Tehri Garhwal in Khasra No.512 and 514. The Appellant also complained of blasting activities being resorted to by Respondent No.4 to 8 in the fragile Himalayan region. The Appellant averred in the O.A. that no action was taken by the District authorities to whom he complained about the violation of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 (hereinafter, ‘the Act’). He also referred to Khasra No.605 in which there were fully grown trees which were being fe