Order of the National Green Tribunal in the matter of Sonatan Biswas Vs The District Forest Officer, Allpore & Others dated 06/11/2019 regarding felling of mangrove trees on the two banks of Kanmari Natural Canal, Jharkhali, South 24-Parganas Division, West Bengal.

A report submitted by the the District Forest Officer, Alipore and the Officer-in-Charge, Jharkhali, South 24-Parganas District found felling of 159 numbers of mangrove trees along the western side of the Kanmari Khal/canal in a complaint filed in September 2016. Likewise, there was illegal feeling of 78 mangrove trees on the same side of the Kanmari Khal/canal in October 2016. Action was taken by seizing the illegally felled trees and FIR lodged.

The Tribunal said that the case pertained to the year 2016 and as appropriate action has already been taken, nothing further survives in the case. Further, the district forest officer and the concerned police station has been asked to ensure that such incidents don not recur and and strict vigilance is maintained by the beat officer of the Department of Forests to ensure that illegal felling of mangrove trees do not take place in the future.

The Refugee & Rehabilitation Department, West Bengal the owner of the area in question has also been directed to ensure that such incidents do not take place considering that the Sundarbans is a highly eco-sensitive area.