New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has set up a four-member committee to look into allegations of environmental violations in connection with the trees felled during the renovation of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s official residence.
The order came on the back of an application that claims there were violations in connection with the saplings that the Delhi’s Public Works Department planted under the capital’s compensatory plantation scheme — a policy that requires 10 saplings to be planted to make up for every tree cut down.
A three-member bench led by chairperson Adarsh Kumar Goel announced a joint committee comprising the Delhi chief secretary, the Delhi principal secretary (environment & forest), a nominee of Delhi Urban Art Commission, and the district magistrate (north). The committee will “ascertain the factual position” in view of the “significance of requirement of compliance for cutting trees and providing green belt as a condition for constructions in congested and polluted city of Delhi”, the NGT said in its order.
The tribunal was hearing an application filed by Delhi resident Naresh Chaudhary, who claims to be “working actively for the protection and conservation of Environment, Forests, Flora & Fauna, Biological Diversity of the Delhi and National Capital Region”.
In his application, Chaudhary alleged that the construction in question was carried out in violation of the master plan of the national capital and was done without the approval of the Delhi Urban Art Commission.
The Delhi Urban Art Commission is the statutory body that’s mandated with “preserving, developing and maintaining the aesthetic quality of urban and environmental design within Delhi”, according to The Delhi Urban Art Commission Act, 1973.
Chaudhary alleges that the PWD, “in order to oblige and to provide wrongful gain to the chief minister of Delhi, has not only violated the law of the land but has also acted in violation of the permission for felling/transplantation of trees”.
The NGT has ordered the committee to meet within the week and submit its report within three weeks.
“The committee will be free to interact with any other department or authority and undertake a visit to the site. It may meet online or offline as may be found viable,” the tribunal said, adding that if any violations are found, the panel could take remedial action in coordination with the authorities concerned.
The NGT also allowed the panel to give its report to the alleged violators so that they can file their response before the next date of hearing on 31 May.
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‘Wrongful intention’
In his application, Chaudhary cited news reports to argue that around Rs 45 crore was allegedly spent on renovating the Delhi CM’s residence.
He also claimed to have checked satellite images of the CM’s residence to argue that “to the utmost shock and surprise of the applicant, applicant has learnt that instead of renovation of the Old Residence (as claimed by in media reports) not only totally new structure has been constructed progressively by Respondent No. 04 (PWD) but the same has been constructed by totally removing a well established orchard and also way of illegally felling/removing more than 20 trees”.
Chaudhary claimed that between November 2020 and April 2022, five applications were filed to cut down a total of 28 trees — nine in November 2020; two in January 2021; six in August 2021; another six in February 2022; and five in April 2022.
According to Delhi’s Department of Forest and Wildlife, the felling and transplantation of 10 trees or fewer does not require the permission of the competent authority.
Chaudhary alleged that the PWD filed five different applications to “circumvent the said order…deliberately, intentionally and with wrongful intention”.
He also claimed that while conditions for allowing cutting of trees was that 280 samplings were to be planted at DRDO Complex, Metcalfe House, the PWD has planted only 83 trees.
Chaudhary has sought a direction to Delhi’s Environment Ministry and Department of Forest and Wildlife to “demolish all the constructions which they have carried out against the approval of Delhi Urban Art Commission and in violation of Master Plan of National Capital”.
(Edited by Uttara Ramaswamy)