Trees in Delhi to be felled for housing project despite NGT order saying replant first

Last year, the NGT ordered that the body will have to “plant tall trees at the venue site in question at the first instance”. If space falls short, plantation will have to be done at the alternate side provided by the Delhi Development Authority — which is on the Yamuna Floodplains in this case.

The NGT also ordered that trees will have to be planted “as a condition precedent to the cutting of the trees”. This means compensatory plantation will have to take place before the trees are cut.

While the project has been challenged in the NGT again, on the basis of the stress it will put on the resources in the area, the Delhi High Court Friday refused the stay the felling.

Read | Delhi High Court declines interim stay on housing project: Need to hear NBCC

Meanwhile, NBCC chairperson AK Mittal claimed that they are fulfilling all conditions set by the NGT. “We are obeying all NGT directions 100%… Due to space constraints, it will be difficult to transplant the same number of trees in the same area,” he said.

When asked if the body was planting trees before cutting them, as directed by the NGT, Mittal said, “Yes, we are transplanting hundreds of trees at same place… Of 14,000 trees (which are to be cut) 40% are of girth less than 30 cm.”

Environment experts, however, raised doubts about the species of trees which will be planted to replace existing ones. “In most such cases, ornamental trees like royal palm and bougainvillea are planted, which are of no use in a city like Delhi,” said environment activist Padmavati Dwivedi.

Sources said that in Kidwai Nagar, which was redeveloped by the NBCC, royal palms are among the main trees that have been planted as replacement for the neem and peepal trees that were cut.

The Aam Aadmi Party, which is in power in the city, called the project unviable. AAP national spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said, “The Centre does not care for Delhi and its people… 17,000 trees is a huge price to accommodate more VIPs. We are not against development, but such projects must be relocated to other locations such as Rohini, Dwarka, Gurgaon or Noida where so many trees will not have to be cut…”

The permission for tree felling, however, comes from the state forest department, and the L-G is the final authority that signs off on it. Bhardwaj said environment minister Imran Hussain had expressed concern about the large number of trees being cut and had suggested that they look for alternatives to tree felling.

Sources in the L-G office, however, said, “The L-G does not give his sanction for tree felling in any project where the minister has given negative feedback.” Hussain could not be reached despite repeated attempts. Citizens held a candle light protest Friday against the tree felling in Netaji Nagar.