New Delhi:
The Supreme Court on Thursday reiterated its 2015 directive, which restrictions its instructions within a 5 -kilometer air distance of the Taj Mahal in Agra, without, without, without any node.
The Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ), which is the subject before the apex court, is an area of about 10,400 square-kilometer, which spreads to Agra, Firozabad, Mathura, Hathras and Etah districts in UP and Bharatpur districts in Rajasthan.
A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan said that the decline of the tree in the areas inside the TTZ beyond the distance of 5 km of the historic monument will require prior permission of the Central Strong Committee (CEC) Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) and will be bound by the provisions of the UP Tree Prevention Act.
“The areas located within 5 kilometers of the Taj Mahal are concerned, the original order will continue to operate on May 8, 2015. In such cases, applications will have to demand permission to fall trees, even if the trees are less than 50. The court will demand a recommendation from the Central Empowerment Committee and then consider Felting of trace.”
It states, “The divisional forest officer has to implement a situation until there is a serious request of trees flying, which can only be done once the fact that the real tree’s failing can be done once when all other conditions including compensatory afforestation are complied with.” The DFO or CEC was previously directed to ensure compliance of the prescribed conditions before allowing the failing of trees.
The bench said, “We clarify that the exception will only apply when the trees will be seriously urged to fall that if the fall of trees is not taken immediately, there may be a possibility of loss of human life,” the bench said.
The court further sought a report from the CEC, indicating whether any additional restrictions should be imposed to protect two other world heritage structures, ie Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri.
Meanwhile, the court rejected another argument of an Agra-based trust, seeking a condition to obtain prior permission to fall on private land to rest.
TTZ, an area of about 10,400 square-kilometer, is spread in UP and Bharatpur districts in Agra, Firozabad, Mathura, Hathra and Etah districts in Bharatpur districts.
The apex court, in the May 8 order, said that there may be no tree fall in TTZ without the approval of the former court, a measure that is aimed at curbing forest harvesting and protecting the biodiversity of the area.
On December 11, 2019, the apex court amended the order, deleted the requirement for pre-permission for tree failing on non-forests and private land within TTZ.
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