NGT stays felling of trees in Delhi till July 19; issues notice to Centre, CPCB

The National Green Tribunal on Monday stayed the felling of over 16,000 trees for development works in south Delhi by the National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) and the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) till July 19.

Hearing a plea filed by NGO - Society for Protection of Culture, Heritage, Environment, Traditions & Promotion of National Awareness, a bench headed by Acting NGT Chairperson Justice Jawad Rahim issued notices to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Central Pollution Control Board, CPWD over the issue.

The tribunal has asked them all to file their responses before July 19. Earlier, the Delhi high court had stayed the cutting of trees till July 2.

Anil Sood, president of the NGO, claimed that the planting sapling compensatory afforestation would not be able to make up the loss of trees as they would take years to grow.

Sood also claimed that the permission for seven residential colonies wasn’t granted taking into account the burden put on the environment due to large-scale felling of trees.

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Anil Sood, president of the NGO, said the Centre had given clearance to the projects without considering several factors, such as existing population density and the impact of cutting 16,500 trees on the ambient air quality in the area.

The plea said that an environmental impact assessment report for the project around south Delhi showed that 11,000 trees will be cut in Sarojini Nagar, 1,465 will be cut in Nauroji Nagar, 3,033 will be chopped off from Netaji Nagar and another 520 will be cut in Kasturba Nagar, out of a total of 19,976 trees in these areas.

The re-development scheme plans to replace existing flats of Type I to IV with a built-up area of around 7.49 lakh square metres with Type II to VI units with built-up area of around 29.18 lakh sq m with supporting infrastructure facilities.

(With Inputs from PTI)