📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Singh.sudhish
National
Himachal Panchayat tells NGT Tiyara safeguards 200‑year‑old banyan
✍️ The Times of India
🗓 07 Sep 2026, 01:18 PM
👁 34
The Himachal Pradesh panchayat submitted a statement to the National Green Tribunal asserting that the newly built Tiyara was meant to protect, not damage, a 200‑year‑old banyan tree.
The gram panchayat of a Himachal village has approached the National Green Tribunal (NGT) with a written clarification regarding the Tiyara structure recently erected near a historic banyan tree. The panchayat maintains that the construction was carried out to shield the 200‑year‑old banyan from potential harm caused by nearby development activities.
According to the submission, the Tiyara comprises a low‑lying embankment and protective fencing designed to prevent soil erosion and accidental encroachment on the tree's root zone. Panchayat officials argue that the measures are in line with environmental guidelines and aim to preserve the tree, which is considered a local heritage landmark.
The NGT has taken note of the panchayat's explanation and will examine whether the protective intent aligns with the tribunal’s conservation standards. No further legal action has been reported pending the tribunal’s assessment.
According to the submission, the Tiyara comprises a low‑lying embankment and protective fencing designed to prevent soil erosion and accidental encroachment on the tree's root zone. Panchayat officials argue that the measures are in line with environmental guidelines and aim to preserve the tree, which is considered a local heritage landmark.
The NGT has taken note of the panchayat's explanation and will examine whether the protective intent aligns with the tribunal’s conservation standards. No further legal action has been reported pending the tribunal’s assessment.