To complete major road projects across the State, Punjab Government has decided to file a review petition before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to vacate the stay imposed on felling of trees along prestigious road projects of national importance in the State.
“The decision has been taken to accelerate the construction process of national as well as State highways, the work of which has come to standstill due to the ban of NGT,” said State PWD Minister Razia Sultana, while chairing the quarterly review meeting of the PWD on Thursday.
Sultana said that the Punjab Government has already got the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests’ nod for executing the construction work on major road projects in the state.
“Punjab PWD had to be stop the work on these projects due to the ban by NGT,” she said adding that the NGT, in its decision in the recent past, has imposed ban on Punjab against felling of trees.
During the review of the progress on various religious and other historical monuments, she was apprised by the state PWD Secretary Hussan lal that the construction work on these projects has been hampered due to the dearth of funds.
In the wake of this, the Minister instructed him to arrange a meeting with the state Tourism Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu to bring to his notice the status of these flagship tourism projects.
She said that these projects are being funded by Tourism Ministry so she will urge Sidhu to release the adequate funds to carry on the construction works.
The Minister was also apprised that the construction on some of the state highways has also been halted as the forest clearance has not been accorded. The Minister instructed Hussan lal to urgently take up the matter with the state Forest Minister.