The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed authorities in Delhi, like DDA, MCD and the Forest Department, to complete de-concretisation of trees in the city without damaging them by September 19.
A Bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar directed authorities to immediately take remedial measures regarding those trees whose roots were dug up and trunks damaged, during removal of the concrete matter around them with use of heavy machinery like JCBs.
"Vice-Chairman of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) will call all senior officers of all the Municipal Corporations, Public Works Department (PWD), Forest Department, New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) and shall then pick six colonies of wherein de-concretisation of trees will be done before the next date of hearing. We expect all the authorities to cooperate with each other," the bench said.
The directions came after each civic authority informed the tribunal that it had finished de-concretisation work in those areas of the three colonies, they randomly picked, where they have jurisdiction.
Unhappy with the submissions, the bench observed their actions exhibit non-application of mind and wastage of public money.
"You are behaving like school children. Why can't you sit together," the bench asked. The tribunal also refused to grant time of eight weeks as sought by the authorities to complete the work saying "nothing will be done then."