GNCTD to launch cell to track tree transplant

NEW DELHI: The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) will launch a dedicated Tree Transplantation Cell to help agencies with the process, after it passed the Tree Transplantation Policy.

In accordance with the new policy, 80 per cent of all trees to be affected by a development project will have to be compulsorily replanted. The process is complicated with many transplanted trees either not surviving beyond two years or achieving only stunted growth.

Manish Sisodia, Minister of Environment, GNCTD, met officials of department, on Wednesday, January 6, and directed them to initiate work on setting up the Cell and build technical know-how of the transplantation process. According to a government statement, Sisodia also directed the Forest Department to begin the process of empanelment of agencies that carry out tree transplantation.

The policy has however received criticism from several quarters according to which, the transplantation should be infrequent and all the developing projects must be constructed around the existing tree cover so that no area is lacking its green cover.

The Delhi Pollution Control Committee has also been devising a separate policy for controlling dust at the construction sites bigger than 20,000 metre square.