The National Green Tribunal has formed a panel to ascertain facts about alleged encroachments in the Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh.

The green body was hearing the issue of alleged encroachments, illegal constructions and unauthorised tree felling inside the sanctuary, disrupting the wildlife corridors and fragmenting the habitat essential for the survival of the native species.

In an order dated November 29, a bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava said, "Having regard to the nature of the allegations, we form a joint committee comprising the representatives of the state's principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF), Lucknow (regional office), the Union Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), warden of Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary, and the district magistrate, Meerut." The bench also comprising judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member A Senthil Vel said the committee had to visit the site and ascertain the correctness of the allegations about illegal felling of trees, encroachments and illegal constructions that were in progress in the sanctuary and its buffer zone.

Directing the panel to file its report within eight weeks, the tribunal posted the matter for further proceedings on March 31.

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