Congress MlA from Chandni Chowk Prahlad Singh Sawhney has objected to pruning of trees in the Kamla Nehru Ridge by the authorities. He has shot off a protest letter to Chief Secretary DM Spolia making serious allegations of felling vilayati kikar which is known as Babool in Kamla Nehru Ridge in North Campus area of the Capital. Sawhney said that felling of trees is prohibited under the provisions of Forest Act.
However, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) denied the allegations of the MlA saying that they are not cutting trees but are in the process of trimming the branches of vilayati kikar (Prosopis juliflora) to allow enough sunlight to reach the ground so that the new planted Aravali species can grow.
In his letter, Sawhney urged that several residents of his constituency have approached him complaining that greenery is being destroyed in the ridge area that is protected area under the Ridge Act.
However, officials say that the MlA was ill-informed. He should have met the officials to clear the air before shooting off the letter to the CS. Sawhney is a fourth term Congress legislator enjoying high credibility; his complaint is being viewed seriously by the top officials. According to sources, the complaint has been forwarded to DDA and Forest Department for spot verification.
It is noted that under the supervision of Delhi University Professor CR Babu, the DDA along with Forest Department officials has started planting native Aravali species in the Kamala Nehru Ridge. Authorities have started pruning canopies of vilayati kikar, a highly invasive native Mexican species that has encroached upon the Ridge area resulting in the extinction of about 450 native species in the area, Babu said.
“Vilayati kikar is a threat to the bio-diversity of the city. It is also responsible for the depleting the groundwater level as its stem goes down even below 15 metres to suck groundwater from the aquifers,” said officials associated with the project. “The pruning is done to ensure that sunlight reaches the forest floor where native species are being planted. As of now we have planted myriad native species on a stretch of two kilometres,” said officials.
“Vilayati kikar is depleting the groundwater level and affecting the growth of native species in the vicinity. This initiative is aimed at bringing back the native species which existed 150 years ago,” said officials added that these native species play a vital role as they prevent the dust storms from the desert and help in recharging the groundwater.
“Further, these act as dust trap and tonnes of dust will be absorbed. They act as a sink for pollutants,” Babu said, adding that biodiversity enrichment will also attract birds and myriads species of animals. It is noted that the foundation of the vilayati kikar’s deadly grip over the city started in the 1920s when Delhi was being renovated to become the new capital of British-ruled India with lutyens and Co. deciding to beautify the wastelands. Botanists tried out a few exotic plant species that could be planted at the new headquarters of the British Empire in India narrowing down on the vilayati kikar because it adapted itself well to the dry and arid soil.