The Centre on Friday informed Parliament that only 22 heritage trees had to be relocated because of the Central Vista Avenue redevelopment project.
Responding to a question in Lok Sabha on the relocation of trees to the Badarpur Eco-Park, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said according to information received from the Central Public Works Department, "Only 22 number of trees have been relocated from the Central Vista Avenue to the eco-park, Badarpur, and there is no other proposal to relocate trees from the Central Vista Avenue to Badarpur". He said there is a proposal to plant 10 saplings for every tree uprooted or removed, and the compensatory plantation will be done at the Badarpur Eco-Park, Badarpur.
The redevelopment project of the Central Vista -- the power corridor of the country -- includes the revamping of the three-km-long Rajpath from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate. It also envisages a new triangular Parliament building, a Common Central Secretariat and new residences for the prime minister and the vice president.
On another query on census of trees, Yadav said, "As per available information, no tree census has been conducted in the recent past."
"However, the Forest Survey of India (FSI) carries out sample plot based regular inventory of trees in forests and outside forests in the country under its National Forest Inventory Programme," he said.