Secy MoHUA, NBCC join AAP vs Centre blame game over felling of trees

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 25

The AAP government and the LG Anil Baijal are back at loggerheads over the Centre’s plan to fell over 14,000 trees as part of its project for re-developing the seven south Delhi colonies on a day when locals and activists celebrated the Delhi High Court interim stay on any further uprooting of trees till July 4.

The cutting of trees were done in the seven colonies  following permission taken from Forest and Environment department of Delhi government, said Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Durga Shankar Mishra and CMD of National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC), Anoop Kumar Mittal.

Delhi’s LG has also said that that the proposals for redeveloping Nauroji Nagar and Netaji Nagar were duly endorsed by Delhi Environment Minister Imran Hussain. “It is further clarified that no permission has so far been granted in case of proposals in respect of re-development of Mohammadpur, Thyagraj Nagar, Sarojini Nagar, Kasturba Nagar and Sriniwaspuri colonies."

AAP MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj had claimed LG as the “competent authority” for issuing the permission under Section 29 of the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994 and not the minister.

Bhardwaj also said, “Permissions were granted in chunks during different time starting from 2014 by the Delhi government’s department with the LG being the approval authority. The Delhi government will try to revoke the permissions already granted to fell trees.”

Mishra said as these colonies were in bad shape since 1950s, they needed redevelopment. Thousands of houses were declared unfit for living and maintenance was high. The NBCC will construct 25,000 houses after demolishing 12,000 at the same place. The project is a proposal of Make in India.

Presently, the build-up area of these colonies is just 8 lakh sq m and under the new project, it will be increased up to 32 lakh sq m, he said.

Of the 21,040 trees in the seven colonies, NBCC plans to cut 14,031 trees, 6,800 trees will be saved and 1,213 trees will be transplanted; 15,428 new trees will be planted following which the total number of trees in these colonies will be over 23,475. He said that as per law, 10 trees are required to be planted after cutting one that made two lakh trees be planted after cutting 14,000 trees. The remaining trees will be planted at ridge area.

Social activist Anil Sood, who has petitioned in the NGT seeking a stay on the project, claimed an impression is being given that the rebuilding of the said colonies is to provide accommodation to government officials, but fact is the buildings are to be given to commercial establishments.