NGT orders inspection of tree-base concreting in Dehradun

Dehradun: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the divisional forest officer (DFO) and officials of the municipal council to inspect the extent of concreting around tree trunks in Dehradun and take corrective measures, granting them four weeks to submit an action-taken report. The direction came while hearing a plea filed by NGO Citizens for Green Doon (CGFD), which alleged that trees across the city were being encircled with non-pervious materials, including tiles that prevent water from seeping into the soil, in violation of established tree preservation norms.The group submitted geo-tagged photographs to substantiate its claims. Taking note, the tribunal said the "issue warranted on-ground verification" and asked officials to assess its scale before reporting back.Counsel for the applicant informed the tribunal that the matter had been raised earlier, with complaints submitted to authorities but it was withdrawn in May 2023, with liberty granted to approach the concerned officials directly for remedial action. The applicant said representations were subsequently made to multiple authorities in May 2025, but no action has been taken so far.Taking cognisance of the issue, the tribunal reiterated its earlier directions in cases such as ‘Aditya N Prasad vs Union of India and Indian Council for Enviro-Legal Action vs Deputy Commissioner'. These mandate the removal of concrete within at least a one-metre radius around tree trunks to ensure their survival and healthy growth. On March 30, the tribunal directed the applicant to file a fresh complaint, along with supporting photographs, before the DFO and the concerned urban local body.In Dehradun, the issue of concretisation around tree bases has been flagged repeatedly by environmental groups and residents, particularly in the context of footpath upgrades and roadside beautification works. Activists have alleged that such projects often encase tree trunks in cement and tiles, restricting water percolation and harming tree health, in violation of established norms requiring a permeable soil buffer. Despite complaints and representations submitted to authorities in recent years, residents claimed that enforcement has remained inconsistent, with the problem resurfacing across multiple parts of the city.