In its interim order, the NGT directed the Uttar Pradesh government to set the boundaries of the forest land and reserved forest areas in the 10,400 sq. km Taj Trapezium Zone in Agra, Mathura and Firozabad districts.

The NGT was responding to the MC Mehta report on cutting of trees near the Taj Mahal and on forest land in Baburpur village's Sikandra area.

MC Mehta, the commissioner appointed by the NGT, in his interim report said a preliminary survey suggested that there had been "removal of forest area".

The NGT said "The commissioner further submits that the area which has been affected by the deforestation is within 500 meters of the Taj Tapezium Zone, the green belt area created as directed by the Supreme Court of India, and adjacent villages which he visited.

"It is specifically mentioned in the report that builders have started raising huge constructions in these areas and even on the bank of river Yamuna."

The NGT asked the state government to ensure there was no cutting of trees or removal of any kind of greenery from the Taj Tapezium Zone.

NGT chairperson Justice Swatantra Kumar chided the Uttar Pradesh government for mis-managing Taj Mahal's eco-sensitive zone and allowing constructions in the Yamuna flood plains.

Environmentalists here welcomed the order and pressed for early action by district authorities to curb builders and colonisers who had grabbed huge chunks of Yamuna flood plains in Vrindavan, Mathura and Agra.

"There have been numerous complaints regarding illegal structures on the flood plains all the way from Vrindavan to Agra, but the concerned departments never bothered to take action. Hopefully the intervention by the NGT would bring the anomalies to light," said Surendra Sharma, president of the Braj Mandal Heritage Conservation Society.

"Due to negligence by the authorities, the Yamuna river bank was being encroached upon by heaping garbage. The heritage ghats of Vrindavan are also under threat. We hope the NGT order will save our environment," said Jagan Nath Poddar, convener of Friends of Vrindavan.

Earlier, activists of the Braj Bachao Samiti in Mathura had submitted a memorandum to district authorities demanding action against encroachers of forest areas.

The tribunal also directed the states and other concerned agencies to file responses of the Mehta report within two weeks and submit fresh evidences to counter the conclusions.

The green body will take a final call on September 10 to decide on charges of thousands of tree felling from the neighbourhood of the Taj Mahal and in Babarpur area.