NEW DELHI: Delhi environment and forest minister Imran Hussain on Tuesday recommended to lieutenant-governor Anil Baijal to revoke the permission for felling of trees for redevelopment of three Central government housing projects in south Delhi.
In a note to Mr Baijal, Mr Hussain said that the user agency has “failed” to carry out necessary compensatory tree plantation and has also “failed” to make available a site to the city forest department for the same which amounts to “violation of NGT orders”.
“Note sent to Hon’ble @LtGovDelhi strongly recommending revocation of tree cutting permission in all GPRA colonies under redevelopment & for taking penal action against User agency for various violations (sic),” Mr Hussain tweeted.
Talking to reporters here, the minister said that a penalty should be imposed on user agency for alleged violations in redevelopment projects in Kidwai Nagar, Nauroji Nagar and Netaji Nagar.
“A note has been forwarded to the L-G, recommending revocation of tree cutting permission in all general pool residential accommodation (GPRA) colonies under the redevelopment projects and for taking penal action against user agency for various violations,” Mr Hussain said.
“The project in Kidwai Nagar, for which permission was given in 2013-14, was almost ready, but no re-plantation drive was taken up,” the minister said
The permission was given for cutting of about 5,600 trees for the three projects, of which 3,300 were chopped. But no re-plantation has been done, he said.
In the note, Mr Hussain wrote that the agency had “failed” to carry out necessary compensatory tree plantation and in making available a site to the city Forest Department for the same, which amounts to “violation of the National Green Tribu-nal’s orders”.
