No trees to be cut for Redevelopment by 2 July, HC orders

The Delhi High Court asked questions to NBCC (India) Ltd “Has the green court allowed this tree-cutting?”

NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Monday stayed a controversial project of the redevelopment of South Delhi government colonies till July 2. The project required to cut more than 17,000 trees.

“We could understand if it was a road-widening work which is inevitable. Can Delhi afford to cut off trees for the development of roads and buildings?” the court asked NBCC (India) Ltd, which is overseeing the project.

The National Green Tribunal will hear the case on July 2 till that the project has put off till July 2 and the high court will hear the matter next on July 4.

According to environment impact assessment report, most of the trees are to be “cleared” from South Delhi. 11,000 out of 13,128 trees will be cut in Sarojini Nagar, 1,465 out of 1,513 in Nauroji Nagar, 3,033 out of l 3,906 in Netaji Nagar and another 520 in Kasturba Nagar.

Sources say at least 15 per cent of the apartments will be for sale and the focus of the redevelopment is on commercial space. According to a report Delhi has already in loss of 9 lac trees. If 17000 more trees will be cut, national Capital could afford cutting of trees.

Hardeep Singh Puri, the union minister of state for housing and urban development, said “no trees will be cut for any reason and for every tree that is cut we will plant 10 more trees to make Delhi more Green. The green cover will go up by three times after re-development of seven colonies in South Delhi.”

Local residents protested on Sunday at Sarojini Nagar Sunday by hugging trees in a redux of the 1970s “Chipko movement” to stop the chopping of trees in Uttarakhand.