JUDGMENT

BY HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE SUDHIR AGARWAL, JUDICIAL MEMBER

1. On a letter petition dated 06.08.2023 received from Balwinder Kaur, this Original Application (hereinafter referred to as ‘OA’) was registered under Sections 14 and 15 of National Green Tribunal Act , 2010 (hereinafter referred to as ‘NGT Act, 2010’) in exercise of suo-moto jurisdiction in view of law laid down by Supreme Court in Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai vs. Ankita Sinha , (2022) 13 SCC 401

2. The complainant raised a grievance of risk of thousands of trees felling due to likelihood of land sliding. It is said that illegal mining is being carried out upto 15 to 20 feet in agricultural land adjacent to Forest Department land where thousands of trees are standing which are facing risk of land sliding on account of illegal mining which may result in tremendous loss to environment. The complaint was supported by the photographs showing deep mining near the land where large number of trees are standing.

3. Tribunal’s Order dated 09.04.2024: Tribunal taking cognizance of complaint, found it appropriate to call for a factual Report by constituting Joint Committee comprising representatives of Punjab State Poll