India, Aug. 1 -- The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday questioned the "defensive approach" of the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC) for "failing" to come up with a model regulatory framework required for tree felling from non-forest land.

These observations were made during a hearing on the alleged illegal cutting and sale of 29 trees from a government school in Sirsa, Haryana.

The principal bench of Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Dr Afroz Ahmad asked the MoEFCC for "remedial action" against regular unauthorised tree-felling cases in northern states, including Haryana, where such stringent regulations do not exist.

While directing that trees be protected, Justice Shrivastava remarked...