Chandigarh, July 25 -- The Punjab forest department has informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that it has recovered Rs.10.99 lakh as environmental compensation from contractor and other violators for the illegal felling of 113 trees, damage to forest land and the unauthorised installation of a concrete batching plant during the Sirhind Canal lining project in Ludhiana district. The department has asserted that it has fully complied with the tribunal's earlier directions and sought dismissal of the execution application. In an affidavit filed on July 23 before the principal bench of the NGT, Rajesh Kumar, divisional forest officer (DFO), Ludhiana, stated that prompt action was initiated against the offenders and compensation was recovered under the provisions of the Indian Forest Act, 1927. Vijay Kumar, a contractor from Mukerian, named in connection with the unauthorised installation of a concrete batching plant on forest land. He later admitted the violation, removed the plant and deposited Rs.1.67 lakh as compensation. According to the affidavit, the department of water resources undertook concrete lining of an 11.5-km stretch of the Sirhind Canal, between reduced distance 183.5 km and 195 km, without obtaining the mandatory prior approval of the department of forests and wildlife preservation under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980. During execution of the project, 113 trees were illegally felled, while excavation work exposed tree roots and disturbed forest land. The forest department said it issued multiple damage reports against the violators under the Indian Forest Act, 1927, and assessed Rs.9.32 lakh as compensation for the illegal felling of 113 trees and damage to 282 forest plants. Notices were served under Section 68 of the Act, following which the entire amount was recovered from the violators. The affidavit further states that the department also acted against the unauthorised establishment of concrete batching plants on forest land. Notices were issued in January 2025 to officials of the water resources department directing them to remove the illegally installed batching plants and refrain from using forest land without prior permission. A separate damage report was subsequently issued against the contractor responsible for setting up the plant. The contractor later admitted the violation, dismantled the batching plant and paid Rs.1.67 lakh as compensation for encroaching upon forest land. The forest department has also prepared a Rs.27.22-lakh restoration plan for plantation of 4,000 saplings with maintenance for five years. The restoration amount has already been deposited under the Green Punjab Mission, and the afforestation work is proposed to be undertaken during the 2026-27 financial year. Apart from the tree felling and forest land encroachment, the department also recovered compensation through two additional damage reports for excavation and displacement of forest soil during the canal-lining work. In its affidavit, the department contended that it had fully complied with the NGT's order dated November 13, 2025, and argued that the execution application filed by the petitioners was unnecessary. It requested the tribunal to dismiss the application, asserting that all statutory action had already been taken against the violators in accordance with law....