Centre, AAP in blame game over grant for felling of 17,000 trees

New Delhi, June 23

The issue of cutting around 17,000 trees for the redevelopment of seven south Delhi colonies triggered a blame game today with Union minister Harsh Vardhan claiming that the AAP government has granted to fell trees in non-forest areas and the latter claiming that the clearance for the same was issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF).

Vardhan said as per the information he had, the area where the trees were to be felled was a "non-forest area" and the Centre’s Forest department had nothing to do with it. "For the non-forest areas, whatever local permissions are to be given, are given by the Delhi government," Vardhan said. AAP countered the charge, saying the permission was granted by MoEF in November last year.

"IMPORTANT — The file about "Redevelopment Project" says Environment Clearance for the project has been approved by MoEF & CC, GOI (Minister – Dr Harshvardhan) vide letter dt 27.11.2017 @drharshvardhan ji, Did ur Department give Environment clearance to this project??(sic)," tweeted AAP’s Saurabh Bharadwaj.

"Vardhan has chosen his words very carefully, but he refuses to say that the LG is the competent local authority for giving the necessary permission in this case," Bhardwaj said claiming that for the felling of a maximum of 10 trees, the deputy conservator of forest had to issue the permission, for a maximum of 20 trees, the conservator of forest had to issue the permission and the city government’s environment secretary could permit the felling of trees in an area of less than a hectare. "Above it, the LG is the competent authority," Bharadwaj added.

He also claimed that the Delhi government's environment minister, in his note-sheet, had protested against the felling of trees for the redevelopment plan.

"We have no objection to the Centre's project. But, the felling of such a large number of trees is not good for the environment at a time when there is a looming threat of pollution," said Bharadwaj claiming that the redevelopment plan involves constructing flats for politicians and bureaucrats.

He added that a protest against it would be held near Sarojini Nagar tomorrow evening. The locals have launched a "hug the tree" movement on the lines of the famous "Chipko Andolan".

"No environmental assessment has been carried out," he said. The Centre has claimed that the redevelopment would lead to an "increase in the green area coverage by about three times... The compensatory plantation of trees will be done in the ratio of 1:10, thereby resulting in an enhanced tree-coverage area". — PTI