Lt Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has approved the translocation of 252 trees and felling of 15 trees for the proposed academic buildings on the Delhi University’s north campus. In addition to the translocation of trees, 2,670 saplings — 10 times the number of affected trees — will be planted as a compensatory measure by the university. The compensatory plantation cost of about Rs 1.57 crore will be deposited in advance by the university.
According to Raj Niwas official, the 4.88-hectare area freed would be utilised for the construction of the inter-disciplinary academic and research building of eminence inside the DSE campus, academic building for faculty of technology, library building that will expand the existing Central Reference Library and an integrated computer centre that had been hitherto missing.
The entire cost of this project, exceeding Rs 900 crore, will be borne by the central government. Saxena noted that a joint inspection of the project site was carried out by officials of the Forest Department and the university. It was also informed that the project site was not falling in a morphological Ridge area and under the definition of deemed forest.
Further the compensatory plantation of 2670 saplings, i.e ten times the number of trees permitted for transplantation/felling and additional 100 saplings consisting species of Neem, Amaltas, Peepal, Pilkhan, Gular, Bargad, Desi Kikar and Arjun along with other native species shall be carried out by the Delhi University in 24,120 sqm net area at the already identified areas of the University.
Out of the total 267 trees, 252 would be transplanted and 15 would be felled. The approval of LG for transplantation / translocation of 267 trees was required under the provisions of the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994.
As the instant project covers an area of more than 01 hectare (4.8834 hectares in this project), therefore the department sought approval from the Government and approval from the LG for exemption under Section 29.