‘Mini forest vanished overnight’: Case lodged into Dwarka tree felling

Forest officials aware of the matter confirmed the issue was brought to notice after the resident contacted them via a helpline

2 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Apr 10, 2025 10:13 AM IST

A senior forest official confirmed that a case has been registered under DPTA (Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994) (Express Archive)

On Tuesday, a resident of Himachal Apartments in Dwarka’s Sector 5 was alarmed when he saw several trees had been felled on a nearby plot.

When he took his dog out for a walk the next morning, he claimed, he found a bulldozer clearing up a portion of the plot. “I immediately informed the Delhi Forest and Wildlife Department and Delhi Police. The officers came to the spot within 30 minutes and called senior Central Public Works Department (CPWD) officers on the site,” said Chetan Sharma, 38.

A forest official aware of the matter confirmed the issue was brought to notice after the resident contacted them via a helpline. “The land belongs to the National Institute of Immunology. The tree-felling activity was carried out as part of constructing a new government building structure,” the officer said.

The Forest Department has deployed personnel overnight to monitor the site and a probe has been launched in the matter. A senior forest official confirmed that a case has been registered under DPTA (Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994).

“We do not have a confirmation about how many trees have been illegally cut. We are checking the girth size to determine that. A heavy penalty will be imposed on the people concerned,” the officer told The Indian Express. According to sources, over 50 trees of different species have been allegedly cut.

Section 9 of the DPTA mandates that an application has to be submitted to the tree officers concerned before felling a tree. The decision by the officer is required to be provided within 60 days. For instances where more than 50 trees need to be felled, permission needs to be sought by the Supreme Court-enabled Central Empowered Committee, as per an SC directive last December.

Expressing shock on the trees being felled, Sharma said: “Till yesterday, we could not even imagine entering the land because of the density of trees along with shrubs and a variety of grasses. It was like a mini-forest; there were around 30-40 bird species…but everything changed overnight. I woke up to see it disappear.”

Sophiya Mathew

Sophiya Mathew is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. She joined the Delhi bureau in 2024, and has specialization in Integrated Multimedia Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai. Professional Background Core Beats: Her reporting is primarily focused on the Environment and Education. Specialization: She has gained recognition for her ground-level reporting on the Yamuna floodplains and the socio-economic challenges faced by those living on its banks. She also focuses on the disparities in Delhi's education system, ranging from elite private schools to government institutions and refugee education. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent work has been heavily centered on Delhi's severe winter pollution crisis and the government's regulatory responses: 1. The Air Pollution Crisis "A tale of two cities: Delhi govt schools choke in bad air, private classrooms set up air filters" (Dec 20, 2025): A high-impact feature contrasting the "Clean Air Bubbles" in elite schools with the reality of government school students who are exposed to an equivalent of 17 cigarettes a day due to outdoor exposure. "Delhi sees season's worst air day, second worst December AQI in nearly a decade" (Dec 15, 2025): An analytical report on the meteorological patterns trapping pollutants in the NCR. "Delhi bans non-BS VI vehicles from outside: Why curbing vehicular pollution is key" (Dec 17, 2025): Explaining the science behind targeting specific vehicle vintages to lower particulate matter. 2. Enforcement & Regulations "No fuel at pumps in Delhi without valid PUC certificate from December 18" (Dec 17, 2025): Breaking the news on the environment ministry's strict "No PUC, No Fuel" policy. 3. Education Policy "Law to regulate school fee in Delhi risks becoming procedural, say parents" (Dec 13, 2025): Investigating the loopholes in the new Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025. "Monsoon Session: Private school fee regulation Bill cleared after four-hour debate" (Aug 9, 2025): Covering the legislative passage of the controversial fee hike regulation. Signature Style Sophiya is known for her observational depth. Her reporting often includes vivid details from school corridors, hospital waitlists, or the banks of the Yamuna to illustrate how policy failures affect the city's most vulnerable residents. She is a frequent expert guest on the 3 Things podcast, where she explains the complexities of Delhi’s environmental laws. X (Twitter): @SophiyaMathew1 ... Read More

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