Delhi High Court Puts Felling Of Trees On Hold Indefinitely, Govt Asks LG To Revoke Permission

Two days after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) stopped the felling of at least 14,000 trees for the redevelopment of seven south Delhi neighbourhoods till July 19, the Delhi High Court has put a cutting of trees on hold indefinitely and said no permission for this will be granted in immediate future.?

BCCL

The HC order comes as a welcome relief to activists and residents of Delhi who have been campaigning for the past many weeks against the decision to cut thousands of trees, which they said was absurd considering how polluted the national capital's air already is.

The trees were to be cut to make way for government officers' houses and a commercial complex, in Sarojini Nagar, Nauroji Nagar and Netaji Nagar.?

PTI

Last month, the court had put a freeze on the controversial project, but by that time there was a public outcry, over 3000 trees from Nauroji Nagar and Netaji Nagar was already cut.

Following massive public protests, union housing affairs minister Hardeep Singh Puri directed NBCC and CPWD to rework and redesign the construction plans in these neighbourhoods adding that no trees will henceforth be cut in the process of redevelopment of Delhi colonies.

BCCL

Meanwhile, the Delhi Government on Tuesday recommended to the LG to revoke permission given for felling trees for the redevelopment of three housing projects at Nauroji Nagar and Kidwai Nagar.

It also recommended penal action against NBCC, the agency responsible for the projects.