March 09, 2026 : The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has transferred a case concerning the alleged illegal cutting of around 90 trees in Rajasthan’s Dholpur district to its Central Zone Bench in Bhopal for further hearing. The matter came before the Tribunal after a resident raised concerns about the destruction of a garden he had reportedly nurtured for more than two decades.
The case, registered as Original Application No. 124/2026, was heard on March 9, 2026, by a bench comprising Judicial Member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and Expert Member Dr. A. Senthil Vel at the NGT’s Principal Bench in New Delhi.
The proceedings began after Ram Naresh Sharma, a resident of Housing Board Colony on Bari Road in Dholpur, sent a letter petition to the Tribunal complaining about the alleged illegal cutting of trees in a nearby park area. The Tribunal treated the letter as an original application under its suo motu jurisdiction, following the legal framework established by the Supreme Court in Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai vs. Ankita Sinha (2022).
In his complaint, Sharma claimed that he had been maintaining a garden adjacent to his residence since 2004. Over the years, he said he planted and nurtured numerous fruit-bearing, shade-giving, and medicinal trees that also provided clean air and shelter to birds and passersby. According to him, the garden had become an important green space for the local community.
The petitioner alleged that officials of the Rajasthan Housing Board, along with local revenue authorities, falsely reported the trees as wild shrubs and seasonal plants. Based on this report, he claimed, permission was obtained to remove them. Sharma further alleged that around 90 mature treesincluding species such as mango, peepal, banyan, amla, guava, lemon, kadamba and several medicinal plants were uprooted using heavy machinery on October 15, 2025.
He also alleged that the land on which the garden stood was subsequently allotted to certain individuals for residential purposes and that the wood from the felled trees was taken into possession and cut in sawmills. The complaint urged the Tribunal to order an investigation into the incident, take action against those responsible and ensure replantation of trees to restore ecological balance.
When the matter was taken up by the Tribunal, the applicant did not appear either physically or through video conferencing. Instead of dismissing the case for non-appearance, the bench granted another opportunity for the applicant to participate in the proceedings.
The Tribunal also noted that the alleged incident occurred in Rajasthan, which falls under the jurisdiction of the NGT’s Central Zone Bench in Bhopal. Considering this territorial jurisdiction, the bench directed the Registry to list the matter before the Bhopal bench on March 27, 2026, after obtaining necessary orders from the Chairperson for transfer of the case.
The Registry has also been asked to inform the applicant about the next hearing date and ensure he joins the proceedings either physically or through video conferencing and submits any material evidence he has before the Central Zone Bench.
Case Reference : Original Application No. 124/2026; Ram Naresh Sharma Versus State of Rajasthan & Ors.
