SC fines ₹1 lakh per tree for illegal felling in Mathura-Vrindavan

The Supreme Court has fined ₹ 1 lakh per tree for the illegal cutting of 454 trees at Dalmia Farms, a private property in the ecologically sensitive Mathura-Vrindavan area. The court also issued a contempt notice to Shiv Shankar Agrawal, who admitted to cutting the trees. Furthermore, the court ruled that no construction or land-use changes can happen on the property without its approval to ensure environmental laws are followed.

The court’s decision followed a report by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC), which emphasised the irreversible impact of deforestation and stated that it would take at least 100 years to regenerate the lost green cover. “ This brazen act of cutting 454 trees is akin to killing a large number of human beings or perhaps even worse,” remarked Justice Abhay S. Oka while condemning the destruction.

Agrawal, who submitted an unconditional apology, claimed ignorance of the court’s order, which had imposed restrictions on tree felling in the area since 2015. However, the bench, including Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, did not accept this excuse, and they reminded him that environmental rules had been in place for 10 years.

The Vrindavan Development Authority had previously issued an order on October 23, 2024, halting construction approvals on the disputed land until the matter was resolved by the National Green Tribunal (NGT). Despite this, the illegal felling occurred, prompting the court to take strict action.

Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Agrawal, sought leniency by proposing compensatory afforestation on alternate land and a reduced fine. However, the court rejected the plea, upholding the CEC’s recommendations. The contempt notice against Agrawal will remain pending until he submits a compliance affidavit and the CEC certifies that all conditions have been met.

“There should be no mercy in environmental cases. Cutting down a large number of trees is worse than taking a human life,” the bench concluded, reiterating the need for stringent enforcement of environmental regulations in sensitive zones like the Taj Trapezium Zone.

The panel recommended that the forest department should collect the fine under the UP Protection of Tree Act, 1976, for the illegal tree cutting. They also said the department should take action against the landowner for cutting 32 trees in a protected forest, as per the Indian Forest Act, 1976.

The Taj Trapezium Zone is a 10,400-square-kilometre protected area surrounding the Taj Mahal and other heritage monuments in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. It covers parts of Agra, Firozabad, Mathura, Hathras, and Etah districts in Uttar Pradesh, as well as Bharatpur district in Rajasthan. It was established to curb pollution and environmental degradation threatening these historical sites.

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