Despite a special investigation team (SIT) constituted by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) recommending criminal and departmental action against officials of the Barnala Improvement Trust over the alleged illegal uprooting of trees, the police have now registered an FIR only against unidentified persons on the complaint lodged by the Executive Officer of the Barnala Improvement Trust.The controversy pertains to the alleged illegal uprooting of dozens of green trees from the 25-acre Shaheed Bhai Mani Singh Nagar scheme of the Barnala Improvement Trust on February 1 and 2. The matter is currently under hearing before the NGT.In its 35-page report submitted to the tribunal earlier this month, the SIT had recommended registration of an FIR against responsible officials of the trust, recovery of environmental compensation and initiation of departmental disciplinary proceedings against district-level officers.The panel had also recommended the plantation of five saplings for every uprooted tree and the preparation of a detailed inventory of the remaining standing trees by assigning them identification numbers.The SIT, comprising officials of the Punjab Forest Department, the Central Pollution Control Board and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, had observed that no permission had been obtained for uprooting the trees.The report had further stated that directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court issued on December 24, last year, regarding the protection of trees had allegedly been violated. However, in a fresh development, the police have now registered an FIR at Barnala City-I police station under Section 303(2) of the BNS against unidentified persons on the basis of a complaint by the Executive Officer of the Barnala Improvement Trust.In the complaint, the officer claimed that both dry and green trees had been “stolen” by unknown persons from the site. The FIR, lodged nearly 105 days after the alleged incident, has triggered criticism among environmental activists and residents.They allege that the move is aimed at shielding officials against whom the SIT had sought action. Environmentalist Gurpreet Singh Kahneke, who had approached the NGT, alleged that repeated illegal felling and uprooting of trees in the district reflected poor enforcement of environmental laws.He said residents were now looking towards the tribunal’s next hearing scheduled for July 3. Meanwhile, Investigating Officer ASI Sukhminder Singh said that the case was registered on the basis of a letter received from the trust.