National Green Tribunal directs Kurnool DFO to inquire into alleged tree felling by Reliance Jio

The National Green Tribunal has directed the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh to inquire about alleged tree felling by Reliance Jio while laying optical fibre cable.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel asked the DFO to verify the facts and submit a report by e-mail within a month.

The tribunal has posted the matter for consideration of the report on January 9 next year.

The order came on a letter written by Andhra Pradesh native C Janardana Reddy alleging that Reliance Jio while laying underground fibre-optic cable from Nannur to Veldurthi village up-rooted fully grown trees using heavy machinery.

"In view of above, we direct the Divisional Forest Officer, Kurnool District to verify the facts and send a report to this Tribunal by e-mail at filing.ngt@gmail.com within one month...

"A copy of this order be sent to the Divisional Forest Officer, Kurnool District by e-mail through the Collector, Kurnool District, Andhra Pradesh," the NGT said.

The petitioner had also annexed a newspaper cutting from Telugu newspaper along with a resolution of Water Shed Development Committee, Kalugotla.

(With inputs from agencies.)