Residents vow to continue battle

This massfelling has brought people from all phases together and we would want to use this mass mobilisation to stop any further tree felling. MADHURI KAKOTI, resident, Greater Kailash-2

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court might have given temporary relief against the felling of trees in the city till July 26, but Delhi residents said they are still not willing to take chances when it comes to protecting their green cover.

Citizen groups from across the Capital insisted that they will continue their fight to protect the environment by holding plantation drives in their areas and conduction late night inspections at the seven south Delhi neighbourhoods where the redevelopment of Central government neighbourhoods had brought over 14,000 trees to the altar.

“The court has granted us a major relief by putting a hold on tree cutting and any further permissions, but our work as the citizens of this city does not stop there. This mass-felling has brought people from all phases together and we would want to use this mass mobilisation to stop any further tree felling,” said Madhuri Kakoti, a resident of Greater Kailash-2.

A citywide movement had kicked off when the news of the felling of these trees hit headlines, with some moving the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Delhi High Court against the felling of thousands of trees.

Since then, the construction site has been converted into protest ground with groups of residents organising cultural performances, meditation camps and plantation drives.

Several residents have taken this drive to their own neighbourhoods and have started sensitising people about the importance of taking care of the environment.

“Delhi is already the most polluted city in the world and we cannot make things any worse for the future generation by allowing large scale urbanisation at the cost of the environment. Carelessness will be the final nail on our coffins,” said Sudha Ashok, the RWA president of Kalkaji DDA Flats.

Resident groups in Dwarka are also organising a march starting on Sunday from Sector 6, where environmentalist and Padma Bhushan awardee Chandi Prasad Bhatt will be an attendee to spread awareness on importance of saving trees in the city.

The felling of at least 14,000 fully-grown trees in seven south Delhi neighbourhoods had given rise to a mass movement across the city resulting in the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs and the project managers NBCC (India) Ltd being forced to offer to “redesign” the project.