Delhi: No tree felling till further orders, says National Green Tribunal

NGT noted that the case had commenced before the HC, but added that the proposed felling of around 17,000 trees could seriously impact the environment in the absence of a proper impact assessment.

Written by Aniruddha Ghosal

New Delhi | Updated: July 3, 2018 07:52 AM IST

3 min read

Authorities have been asked to file responses before July 19. (Express Photo)

Directing that no more trees be cut at seven south Delhi colonies, the National Green Tribunal asked National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) and Central Public Works Department (CPWD) to maintain status quo until further orders. The bench headed by acting NGT chairperson, Justice Jawad Rahim, issued notices to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, NBCC, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), CPWD, South Delhi Municipal Corporation and others, asking them to file their responses before July 19, the next date of hearing.

The Green Tribunal directed that a categorical statement be made to inform the exact number of trees proposed to be cut for the project. It noted that the case had commenced before the HC, but added that the proposed felling of around 17,000 trees could seriously impact the environment in the absence of a proper impact assessment. It also impleaded the Ministry of Environment and Forests as a party in the case and sought its reply in the matter before the next date of hearing.

The Tribunal was hearing a plea which maintained that the chopping of 17,000 trees would destroy the ecology, and have an adverse impact on the environment — something that the ministry and project proponents opposed, claiming that the number of trees to be felled had been exaggerated. They also contended that since the matter was pending with the Delhi High Court, the Tribunal should restrain itself from passing any interim order.

Meanwhile, the AAP attacked the Centre for not “officially” communicating to the NGT its “decision to redesign the project”. The party attacked the Centre’s opposition to the plea after Union Minister for Urban Development, Hardeep Puri, had assured on Twitter that “not a single tree would be felled”. AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said, “The NBCC should have stated in the Court that they are redesigning their project to ensure that no tree is felled in this project. However, the NBCC advocates were opposing the petition, and did not place any redesign plans on record.”

“The AAP appeals to the central government that they should officially communicate to the Forest Department their decision to redesign the project,” he added. The plea was filed by the NGO Society for Protection of Culture, Heritage, Environment, Traditions & Promotion of National Awareness, Green Circle, and city resident Utkarsh Bansal, seeking a stay on the proposed felling of 17,000 trees for redevelopment of south Delhi colonies. The plea claimed that the environmental clearance has been granted for seven general pool residential colonies without taking into account the possible adverse effect on the ecology.

The plea claimed that planting of saplings at another location as compensatory afforestation would not reduce the burden put on the environment due to the large-scale felling of trees. “Keeping in mind that environment is always a party in absentia, we direct that the parties maintain a status quo, particularly in the matter of felling of trees. Further, we direct the project proponent to make a categorised statement pertaining to the exact number of trees to be felled,” the bench said.

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