No tree felling within 5 km of Taj Mahal without our nod: SC

The Supreme Court on Thursday reiterated its 2015 directive restricting tree felling within 5-kilometer aerial distance of the Taj Mahal in Agra, without its nod.

- Press Trust of India

NEW DELHI:

The Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ), which is the subject matter before the top court, is an area of 10,400 square kilometers approximately, spreads across Agra, Firozabad, Mathura, Hathras, and Etah districts in UP and Bharatpur district in Rajasthan.

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan said tree felling in areas within TTZ beyond the 5 kilometer distance of the historical monument will require the prior permission of the divisional forest officer (DFO) of the central empowered committee (CEC) and the officer will be bound by the provisions of UP Tree Preservation Act.