Over 17,600 trees felled for UPs 'kanwar' route construction: Panel to NGT
New Delhi(PTI): A fact-finding panel has informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that over 17,600 trees have been felled in three Uttar Pradesh districts to make way for the upcoming Kanwar Yatra route.
The tribunal was hearing a case related to the alleged felling of more than 1 lakh trees and shrubs in the protected forest area across the three forest divisions of Ghaziabad, Meerut and Muzaffarnagar for the proposed route between Muradnagar in Ghaziabad and Purkaji in Muzaffarnagar.
In an order dated November 6, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava noted that a joint committee formed earlier to ascertain facts had submitted its interim report.
The committee comprised the Forest Survey of India director, a senior scientist from the Union Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change, the state's chief secretary or his representative and the Meerut district magistrate.
"The interim report states that as per the information furnished by the irrigation department, 17,607 trees have been cut in all three districts till August 9, 2024," said the bench, also comprising judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member A Senthil Vel.
The tribunal noted that while permission was granted to fell 1,12,722 trees, it had later been decided to cut only 33,776 trees.
It said, "The state of UP is directed to clarify if the number of trees to be cut has been calculated strictly in accordance with the provisions of the UP Protection of Trees Act."
The tribunal directed the additional chief secretary of the state's environment department to file an affidavit within two weeks, stating the number of trees that will be cut in the course of the construction of the route.
"It will also be clearly stated if trees have been cut beyond the width of 15 to 20 metres and, if yes, the person responsible for it," it added.
"Considering the fact that the seriousness of the issue relating to a public project, the joint committee is expected to complete the exercise as directed, expeditiously and submit the final report without any delay," the tribunal added.
The tribunal also noted the Surveyor General's earlier statement on October 16 about conducting a drone survey to identify the extent of trees cut on both sides of the canals.
It, however, said, "From the report submitted by the Survey of India that information cannot be gathered."
"Hence, we direct the Surveyor General, Survey of India, to trace out the satellite imagery of the stretches under consideration for the year 2024 (till October 2024) and file a fresh report showing the comparative position of trees which were existing in 2023 and trees fell till October 2024 in the stretches under consideration."
The matter has been posted for further proceedings on November 25.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
'Brand Bharat' is statement of authenticity; of being Vishwa Bandhu, says EAM
New Delhi (PTI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday extolled the idea of 'Brand Bharat' and said it is "statement of authenticity" in representation, articulation or beliefs, and equally a message that "we are now more comfortable in our own skin".
In a virtual address at India Ideas Conclave, he also underlined that it is also the "brand of Vishwa Bandhu" as on the big stage, a "multi-vector approach" engages the Quad and BRICS, Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Iran and the Global North and Global South.
Nations, like people, enterprises or services, have a reputation. When deeply entrenched into consciousness and easily recognisable, that becomes a brand. Obviously, it is related to the merits of the product and its track record, he said.
"When it comes to a country, the national brand is obviously a fusion and aggregation of different facets of its life. On the global stage, it is much more an integrated positioning of a multiple endeavors. We, in the world of diplomacy, have that responsibility. My thoughts today are about how we discharge that for an India that is more Bharat," Jaishankar said.
In his address, the external affairs minister encapsulated the journey of India from freedom struggle to gaining independence and the course the country took in the succeeding decades.
"Our initial decades after independence saw us struggling with the brand challenge. Given the ground situation, this was not unsurprising. A society recovering from two centuries of colonialism obviously had to painstakingly build itself up, creating new capabilities, institutions and practices," he said.
But at the end of the day, India entered the next century "intact as a polity, energetic as an economy and optimistic as a society".
"None of that could have been taken for granted and some, in fact, failed to make it," he underlined.
The Union minister, who virtually addressed the conclave hosted by India Foundation, lamented that earlier the country, at the global level, was "seen as sizeable player about whom there was limited expectation", and said, however, the last decade has seen a "big shift" in that regard.
"Economically, we are now perceived as much easier to do business. The transformation underway in infrastructure is also increasingly appreciated.
Whether it is the airports, metros, highways or railways, the achievements of the last decade stand out even by global standards. Perhaps, nothing has been more impactful than our embrace of digital technologies," he added.
Jaishankar then went on to expound what is 'Brand Bharat'.
"Bharat is a statement of authenticity, be it in representation, articulation or beliefs. Even our economic energies required a connotation of Atmanirbharta in that background," he asserted.
"It is equally a message that we are now more comfortable in our own skin, drawing on our own past, fashioning our own lexicon and advancing our own ideas," the Union minister added.
He said while recognising these developments, let us also realise that "we are not just one more country".
"Our history, tradition, culture and heritage makes us stand out. We are one of the rare ancient civilisations that have made a successful transition to a nation state. In the past, when our overall standing was less, perhaps this did not count for that much. But when juxtaposed with our achievements in so many fields, it now assumes very different connotation," Jaishankar added.
It is in this context that "we should reflect on Brand Bharat. The very term captures the civilisational aspect, while underlining how much more rooted we have become", he said.
"In a world asserting its independence from a globalised elite, it is an effort to engage the world more on our terms. The formulation of standing on the two legs of technology and tradition is one effective way of expressing Brand Bharat," Jaishankar said.
Coming from the domain of diplomacy, India naturally seek to advance that brand in more specific terms. That means defining how Bharat approaches the world, he said.
"There are a range of answers. The Global South sees a powerful advocate and the driver of Vaccine Maitri. Neighbours recognise a generous and non-reciprocal partner who stood by them during Covid, financial meltdowns or natural disasters. Democracies appreciate a confident partner whose choice has helped universalise their shared attributes," the minister asserted.
"The immediate region and beyond value an emerging 'first responder' and contributor to global goods. And on the big stage, a multi-vector approach engages the Quad and BRICS, Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Iran and the Global North and South. This is the brand of Vishwa Bandhu," he said.
