NGT Seeks Report on Alleged Illegal Felling of 273 Teak Trees in Kerala Forest Division

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has sought responses from senior forest officials and other authorities over allegations of illegal felling and sale of around 273 teak trees in Kerala’s Chalakudy forest division for a highway project.

The green tribunal took suo motu cognisance of a newspaper report claiming that trees were illegally cut along an 18-km stretch between Vellikulangara Junction and Vettilapara Bridge . The report alleged that the trees, located on private holdings and assigned lands, were felled and sold at a significantly lower price to a wood-based industrial company.

In its order, an NGT bench headed by Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Afroz Ahmad noted that the Assistant Conservator of Forests (Social Forestry), Thrissur, had estimated the value of the timber at Rs 41.55 lakh . However, the trees were allegedly sold for only Rs 8.52 lakh , raising concerns over possible financial and environmental violations.

The tribunal also examined the role of forest officials in issuing a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for transporting the felled timber under the Kerala Promotion of Tree Growth in Non-Forest Areas Act, 2005 . It observed that the law permits transport passes only for trees that have been legally felled by the owner of the land where they are located. The NGT noted that the Forest Officer, Thrissur Division, had already flagged alleged violations and that an investigation was underway.

The tribunal also raised questions over whether proper procedures were followed during the tree-cutting process and whether compensatory afforestation measures were undertaken. Calling the matter a potential violation of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 , the tribunal said the allegations raised “substantial issues” concerning compliance with environmental regulations.

The NGT has issued notices to Kerala’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and Head of Forest Force , the Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF), and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change’s Integrated Regional Office in Bengaluru . The authorities have been directed to submit their responses through affidavits before the tribunal’s Southern Zonal Bench at least one week before the next hearing scheduled for August 31 .