HC bans felling of 16,573 trees for babus’ houses till July 4
Even as a Chipko-like movement is going on in Delhi against the scheduled felling of 16,573 trees to make way for houses for bureaucrats, the Delhi High Court on Monday came down heavily on the National Buildings Construction Corporation’s (NBCC) plan and ordered an interim stay on the tree chopping.
Taking note of the HC observation that “Can Delhi today afford cutting down of so many trees for a housing complexIJ We could understand if it was a road-widening work which is inevitable”, NBCC, tasked with redeveloping half a dozen South Delhi colonies, agreed not to cut any tree till July 4.
The HC had initially asked NBCC to “stay its hands” till July 2 when a similar issue would be heard by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and asked the petitioner, an orthopaedic surgeon, to approach the tribunal. The court’s observations came after the NBCC said the NGT had the jurisdiction to hear pleas challenging environment clearances granted to any project by the Centre.
The plan to cut fully-grown trees for residential purpose has come at a time when Delhi is already reeling under pollution. local residents and green bodies have come out on streets to protest against the decision to cut trees and have pointed out how it could further deteriorate the air quality in the city. That these trees are in residential areas means that cutting them could have a deep impact on health quality of people living here, they rued.
Meanwhile, apolitical Delhi residents on Monday hugged trees in Sarojini Nagar in stark reminder of the Chipko movement. Interestingly, tree lovers from across the nation have supported citizens’ initiative.
“We are at crossroads. large-scale felling of trees has raised CO2 levels to dangerous levels… This cannot be rectified by planting saplings,” said Ruchi, an activist.
“It is time to speak up and get into action. Big measures are needed but a little step and voice also counts,” another protester said.
Anil Sood, petitioner against the deforestation drive for redeveloping the residential complex, said the protest is a mass movement and it will not stop till the Government reverses its decision.
RWAs in Delhi have written to Union Minister for Environment Dr Harsh Vardhan against the NBCC plan to fell trees for residential purpose. “Delhi is already facing severe air pollution, the tree felling plan will aggravate the situation,” RWAs mentioned in a letter addressed to Vardhan.
The six South Delhi colonies where the trees would be felled are Sarojini Nagar, Naoroji Nagar, Netaji Nagar, Thyagaraja Nagar, Mohammadpur and Kasturba Nagar, the petition has said.
Meanwhile, the anger among people has resulted in the Aam Aadmi Party and the Centre blaming each other over the tree felling plan. Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday had said the green cover in the areas where the trees would be cut would be expanded three times. It was an assurance for which he was massively trolled on Twitter.
On Monday, the AAP demanded scrapping of the Union Government’s redevelopment plans of South Delhi colonies saying it would have a “disastrous” effect on the city. The AAP raised the demand while welcoming the Delhi High Court’s interim stay on felling of trees.