The National Green Tribunal has been informed by the UP government's environment department that over 1.12 lakh trees will be felled in the protected forest area in the state to make way for the upcoming Kanwar Yatra route. The NGT had sought a reply from the secretary of the state's environment department in a case pertaining to the felling of more than 1 lakh trees and shrubs in the protected forest area. The area in question spreads across three forest divisions of Ghaziabad, Meerut and Muzaffarnagar for the proposed route between Muradnagar in Ghaziabad and Purkaji in Muzaffarnagar. The reply, filed by UP principal secretary, Department of Environment, and dated November 19 said, "It is important to mention that the Public Works Department (PWD) received permission to cut 1,12,722 trees/plants for the Kanwar Marg project, as approved by the (Union) Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on February 28, 2023." It said at present, 25,410 trees had been marked and ...