New Delhi, Sep 25 (PTI) The National Green Tribunal has formed a panel to inquire and take action against the alleged heavy pruning of trees in west Delhi’s Paschim Vihar.
The green body was hearing a plea claiming that more than 250 trees were illegally lopped (cutting or trimming of branches) while more than 20 trees were pollarded (pruned) in an unauthorised manner across various blocks in the area between February and March.
In an order passed on Monday, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava noted the complaint, according to which, there was a nexus between the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and forest department officials and private contractors, who in the garb of pruning, engaged in “heavy” cutting of the trees.
“She (the applicant) has also submitted that the officers of the departments concerned deliberately do not remain present when the contractors carry out the work of pruning the trees,” said the bench also comprising judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member A Senthil Vel.
“In the original application (OA), the applicant has given the following details of 40 trees that have been damaged by lopping, pollarding and excess pruning,” it said.
The bench also noted that the plea alleged violation of a 2023 order of the Delhi High Court, which prohibited the pruning of trees in the national capital, except under the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act.
It said, “The application raises substantial issues relating to compliance of environmental norms…Issue notice to the respondents for filing their response or reply at least one week before the next date of hearing (on January 15).” The respondents in the case are the MCD, the Delhi government’s departments of environment, forest and wildlife, the deputy director of horticulture, the Delhi Police headquarters, and three resident welfare associations.
“Having regard to the seriousness of allegations, we form a joint committee comprising representative of the inspector general (IG) of forest of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, member secretaries of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Delhi Pollution Control Committee(DPCC) and the district magistrate of north Delhi,” said the tribunal.
“The joint committee will visit the site, ascertain the correctness of the allegations and also trace out the persons responsible for cutting the branches of the trees in violation of the order of the Delhi High Court.
“The committee will duly take into account the photographs enclosed in the original application with the geo-coordinates at the time of inspection relating to the cutting of heavy branches of the trees, stacking of the wood logs and its transportation,” it added.
The exercise had to be completed within two months, following which the committee would submit its report, said the tribunal. PTI MNR RHL
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.