Sirhind Canal lining project: Forest dept recovered ₹10.9L fine for illegal tree felling, forest land damage, NGT told

Punjab forest department recovered ₹10.99 lakh from contractor and violators for illegal felling of 113 trees, damage to forest land, and unauthorized concrete batching plant during Sirhind Canal lining project in Ludhiana district.

Rajesh Kumar, DFO Ludhiana, filed an affidavit on July 23 before the NGT principal bench stating compensation was recovered under the Indian Forest Act, 1927.

Contractor Vijay Kumar from Mukerian removed the unauthorized batching plant and deposited ₹1.67 lakh compensation after admitting the violation.

Water resources department lined 11.5 km of Sirhind Canal without mandatory prior approval under Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980, leading to illegal felling and forest land damage.

Forest department issued damage reports under Indian Forest Act and assessed ₹9.32 lakh for felling 113 trees and damaging 282 forest plants.