Ludhiana: Residents' body moves NGT against Punjab govt's order
₹ 1,440 crore to the state's finance department. (HT Photo)
The dispute arose after a meeting on August 7, chaired by the chief secretary, where various departments were directed to transfer ₹1,440 crore to the state's finance department. This included ₹84 crore from the Forest Department, ₹44 crore from the sale of fallen trees and ₹40 crore from unused land acquisition funds and ₹250 crore from PPCB's non-NGT funds. The Department of Environment was also asked to deposit ₹22 crore from Mission Tandarust Punjab.
PAC members Kuldeep Singh Khaira and Jaskirat Singh said that under the law, Forest Department funds can only be used for activities such as compensatory afforestation, forest protection, wildlife management, and development of forest-related infrastructure.
Similarly, PPCB, being an autonomous body, holds funds collected from environmental compensation, National Clean Air Programme grants, and fees from industries for consents, all of which are meant strictly for environmental protection and restoration.
Environmental activists Kapil Arora added that diverting such funds for non-environmental purposes undermines sustainable development. They pointed out that environmental challenges in Punjab, including polluted water bodies, mismanaged legacy waste, and worsening air quality already require urgent attention and adequate resources.
PAC members Gurpreet Plaha and Vikas Arora alleged that the state government has often sided with polluters and failed to act against violations, prioritising revenue over environmental health. 'Now, by targeting environmental funds, the government is further risking Punjab's ecological future,' they said.
The PAC has urged the NGT to quash the order and restrain the Punjab government from making such demands in the future, calling the move 'unwarranted' and harmful to the state's environmental interests.
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