LG revokes permit to cut 2,276 trees
MAJOR VICTORY Order saves trees in Netaji Nagar and Nauroji Nagar; future of NBCC’S redevelopment project across south Delhi neighbourhoods now hangs in balance
NEWDELHI: Following widespread outrage and a series of litigations against the felling of trees in seven south Delhi neighbourhoods for construction projects, lieutenant-governor Anil Baijal revoked permission on Friday to cut 2,276 trees in Netaji Nagar and Nauroji Nagar.
The proposal to withdraw the permission to cut trees was taken by the state environment department and had been sent to the L-G for approval on July 3.
Following the order revoking permission for the projects at Netaji Nagar and Nauroji Nagar, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, “A big step by Del govt to protect the lungs of Del. Delhi government will embark upon massive tree plantation drive with active participation of people in coming weeks (sic).”
Though permissions for felling 3,748 trees in Netaji Nagar and Nauroji Nagar had been granted, permissions for cutting around 12,000 trees in Sarojini Nagar, Kasturba Nagar, Thyagaraj Nagar, Mohammedpur and Sriniwaspuri are still pending. Tree cutting in East Kidwai Nagar has already been completed, and some trees have also been axed in Nauroji Nagar.
Delhi environment minister Imran Hussain said the government is now planning to initiate “penal actions” against project developer NBCC (India) Ltd for violating National Green Tribunal (NGT) norms.
Hussain told HT that the agency (NBCC) had not been planting 10 trees against each chopped tree as had been directed by the NGT in its September 2017 order. “I had recommended strict action. The L-G has also given approval to this. I have sent the file to the forest department and now the department would i nitiate action against the agency,” he said.
FUTURE OF PROJECT HANGS IN BALANCE
Friday’s order puts an end to the ongoing controversy on whether thousands of trees would be cut rejected the permissions on three grounds. “First, the NBCC was sending requests in phases, which did not clarify the high number of trees that were being cut. Second, their project was in violation of the National Green Tribunal’s order of September 2017 that had asked them to plant trees in the same areas before felling any tree. And lastly in statement, the NBCC and the Union ministry had claimed that they will redesign the project. Since the permissions were granted for the earlier design it allows us to revoke it.”
Initially, the Union ministry had given environment clearance to cut down 16,500 trees for the project. After public outcry, the Union urban affairs ministry in a statement said that 14,000 trees would be felled. Several litigations were filed in both the Delhi High Court and the NGT to stop the felling. Both the courts had put a stay on the felling, the latest being till July 26.
Activists and petitioners who were associated with the campaign to save trees welcomed the move. “So much damage has already been done but this move is a massive mandate to the people’s movement. Citizens had hit the roads to protest against the mass felling of trees. The court and the politicians had to hear our voice,” said Rajiv Suri, one of the petitioners in the high court.