New green panel constituted with experts, govt tells court

CHENNAI: As a litigant approached the Madras High Court stating that the existing State-level Green Committee has no representation for experts from the environment and civil society groups, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) informed the Madras High Court that it had constituted a new expert committee to protect the trees in urban and rural areas across Tamil Nadu.

The TNPC filed this submission while Justice T Raja was hearing a petition filed by A Radhakrishan. The petitioner sought a direction from the court to the state government to revise the State-level green committee to protect all the trees which are not covered by the forest department.

“The government should also add Agriculture secretary, Home secretary, Commissioner of Land Administration, Commissioner of Revenue Administration, Commissioner of Survey and Settlements, Engineer-in-chief, Public Works Department as members for better functioning of the committee,” the petitioner said.

The petitioner submitted that secretaries merely from eight departments in the government only had been appointed to the State green committee.

Advocate MR Gokul Krishnan, appearing for the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), submitted that the committee consists of various members including environmental experts and civil society groups.

He further submitted that the government has directed the state green committee to hold regular meetings so that the removal/cutting of trees by miscreants, situated in rural and urban areas can be protected.

On recording the submissions, the judge held that there is nothing that survives in this petition and disposed of the same.