The National Green Tribunal (NGT) today ordered status quo on tree felling in south Delhi colonies and directed that no trees would be cut till July 19 by the National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) and the Central Public Works Department (CPWD). A bench headed by Acting NGT Chairperson Justice Jawad Rahim also issued notices to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Central Pollution Control Board, CPWD and others, asking them to file their responses before July 19. The green panel also directed the project proponents to make a categorical statement and inform it about the exact number of trees which are proposed to be cut for the redevelopment project. The tribunal was hearing a plea by NGO - Society for Protection of Culture, Heritage, Environment, Traditions & Promotion of National Awareness seeking a stay on the proposed felling of more than 16,000 trees for re-development of the colonies. Delhiites gathered at Siri Fort to protest against NBCC killing thousands of trees with their disastrous project. NBCC has already broken many laws and must be jailed. Build without touching trees.#chipkomovement #NewDelhi @DelhiTreesSOS @deespeak @yamunajiye @vimlendu pic.twitter.com/WqdJBuecVk New Delhi Nature Society (@NDNS_HQ) July 2, 2018 The petitioner claimed that environmental clearance has been granted for seven general pool residential colonies without taking into account the possible adverse effect on the ecology. Yesterday night protest by Delhi residents in Sarojini Nagar against the 17,000 trees that will be cut. They have already started this process, many trees are already cut. pic.twitter.com/gPRT3BNsL9 Dhruv Rathee (@dhruv_rathee) June 23, 2018 It said the clearance has been granted for colonies in Sarojini Nagar, Netaji Nagar, Nauroji Nagar through the NBCC and in Kasturba Nagar, Thyagraj Nagar, Srinivaspuri and Mohammadpur through the CPWD. The plea claimed that planting of saplings at another location as compensatory afforestation would not reduce the burden put on the environment due to the large-scale felling of trees. The petition has made the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the CPCB, the Delhi Development Authority, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, the CPWD and others as parties in the case. Anil Sood, president of the NGO, said the Centre had given clearance to the projects without considering several factors, such as existing population density and the impact of cutting 16,500 trees on the ambient air quality in the area. The plea said an environmental impact assessment report for the project around south Delhi showed that 11,000 trees will be cut in Sarojini Nagar, 1,465 will be cut in Nauroji Nagar, 3,033 will be chopped off from Netaji Nagar and another 520 will be cut in Kasturba Nagar, out of a total of 19,976 trees in these areas. The re-development scheme plans to replace existing flats of Type I to IV with a built-up area of around 7.49 lakh square metres with Type II to VI units with built-up area of around 29.18 lakh sqm with supporting infrastructure facilities. The projects will also develop government office accommodation of nearly 2.42 lakh sqm in Netaji Nagar. The total estimated project cost of Rs 32,835 crore includes maintenance and operation costs for 30 years and will be completed in five years in a phased manner. READ| NGT to hear tomorrow plea challenging proposed felling of 16,500 trees in Delhi READ| NBCC to 'rework' layout plans after getting slammed for tree felling WATCH| Let Delhi breathe: HC endorses Capital's 'Chipko' movement<doc-sep>National Green Tribunal (File Photo) NEW DELHI: Not a single tree would be cut and status quo be maintained on tree felling till further orders in seven South Delhi colonies by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and the National Buildings Construction Corporation, the National Green Tribunal directed on Monday. A bench headed by acting NGT Chairperson justice Jawad Rahim issued notices to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, NBCC, Central Pollution Control Board, Central Public Works Department, South Delhi Municipal Corporation and others, asking them to file their responses before July 19, the next date of hearing. The green panel directed the project proponents to make a categorical statement and inform it about the exact number of trees proposed to be cut for the redevelopment project for about half a dozen colonies. The NGT said that although the case commenced before the high court, but keeping in mind the likely imminent danger to the ecology and the proposal of the project proponent to fell around 17,000 trees, was likely to seriously impact the environment unless a proper impact assessment is done. It also impleaded the Ministry of Environment and Forests as a party in the case and sought its reply in the matter before next date of hearing. "Therefore, even though we give sufficient time to the project proponent to file their replies to the interim relief, but we are satisfied that a prima facie case is made out for grant of ad-interim order in the nature of protective order so as to protect environment ... and its preservation is essential. "Hence applying the precautionary principle, we direct the Respondent No. 1 and 2 to maintain status-quo, particularly in the matter relating felling of the trees and direct that there shall be no felling/cutting/destruction of the trees till further order by this tribunal," the bench said. During the hearing, the senior advocate Kailash Vasudeva and NGO president Anil Sood said the proposed felling of trees involved more than 17,000 trees which will destroy the ecology and adversely affect the environment. The submission was vehemently opposed by the ministry and the project proponent and said that number of trees mentioned by the applicants was an exaggeration. They also contended that since the matter was pending with the Delhi High Court, the tribunal should restrain itself for passing any interim order. The tribunal was hearing a plea by NGO - Society for Protection of Culture, Heritage, Environment, Traditions & Promotion of National Awareness, Green Circle and city resident Utkarsh Bansal seeking a stay on the proposed felling of more than 16,000 trees for re-development of the colonies. The petitioner claimed that environmental clearance has been granted for seven general pool residential colonies without taking into account the possible adverse effect on the ecology. It said clearance had been granted for colonies in Sarojini Nagar, Netaji Nagar, Nauroji Nagar through the NBCC and in Kasturba Nagar, Thyagraj Nagar, Srinivaspuri and Mohammadpur through the CPWD. The plea claimed that planting of saplings at another location as compensatory afforestation would not reduce the burden put on the environment due to the large-scale felling of trees. The petition has made the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the CPCB, the Delhi Development Authority, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, the CPWD and others as parties in the case. Anil Sood, president of the NGO, said the Centre had given clearance to the projects without considering several factors, such as existing population density and the impact of cutting 16,500 trees on the ambient air quality in the area. The plea said an environment impact assessment report for the project around south Delhi showed that 11,000 trees will be cut in Sarojini Nagar, 1,465 will be cut in Nauroji Nagar, 3,033 will be chopped off from Netaji Nagar and another 520 will be cut in Kasturba Nagar, out of a total of 19,976 trees in these areas. The re-development scheme plans to replace existing flats of Type I to IV with a built-up area of around 7.49 lakh square metres with Type II to VI units with built-up area of around 29.18 lakh sq m with supporting infrastructure facilities. The projects will also develop government office accommodation of nearly 2.42 lakh sq m in Netaji Nagar. The total estimated project cost of Rs 32,835 crore includes maintenance and operation costs for 30 years and will be completed in five years in a phased manner.<doc-sep>The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday stopped the felling of at least 14,000 trees for the redevelopment of seven south Delhi neighbourhoods till July 19, the next date of hearing. A bench headed by acting NGT chairperson Justice Jawad Rahim ordered status quo on tree felling in south Delhi till further orders and issued notices to various agencies, including the Central Public Works Department, NBCC (India) Limited and the Union urban and housing affairs ministry, to file their responses by July 19. The Delhi high court, which had earlier stopped the felling of trees till July 4, is likely to hear the matter on Wednesday. NBCC planned to cut the trees to build commercial space and flats for central government employees in south Delhi. The issue triggered a wave of protests and separate petitions were filed in the NGT and Delhi high court to stop the tree cutting. The court, on June 25, stopped the felling of trees for the project till July 4. The NGT bench also directed NBCC and the central government to inform the tribunal on the exact number of trees that are proposed to be cut. The green court also put a stay on removal of debris from the project site till further orders. Hindustan Times was the first to report on June 17 that at least 16,500 trees were proposed to be cut as per the Environment Impact Clearance for the redevelopment issued by the union government. The ministry of housing affairs later clarified that around 14,000 trees would be cut in Sarojini Nagar, Nauroji Nagar, Netaji Nagar, Muhammadpur, Kasturba Nagar, Sriniwaspuri and Thyagraj Nagar. The petition filed in the NGT also quoted the Hindustan Times report. Following protests by citizen groups, on June 28, union housing affairs minister Hardeep Singh Puri directed NBCC and CPWD to rework and redesign the construction plans in these neighbourhoods. “As stated earlier, no trees will henceforth be cut in the process of redevelopment of Delhi colonies,” Puri said in a tweet. The green tribunal was hearing at least three separate petition filed by activists and NGOs seeking stay on felling of trees and the scrapping of environmental clearance. One of the petitioners, Anil Sood said that the centre had given clearance to the projects without considering several factors such as existing population density and the impact of cutting trees on the ambient air quality in the area. “We have got a breather till 19 July that at least not a single tree would be felled at the project sites,” he said. Meanwhile, protests continued at Sarojini Nagar and other parts of the city against axing of trees. Activists said that protests would continue till a court issues an order that no trees would be cut for the redevelopment project.<doc-sep>About 17,000 trees are to be cut for the housing project in south Delhi. No trees can be cut at least till July 19 for the controversial project in Delhi, said the national green court today. Last week, the Delhi High Court had put on hold the housing project that requires cutting of about 17,000 trees to clear way for homes for government employees besides a commercial complex. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed the National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) and Central Public Works Department (CPWD), to maintain status quo of not cutting the trees for the redevelopment of seven south Delhi colonies until further orders. The tribunal was hearing a plea by an NGO which claimed that environmental clearance has been granted for seven central government residential colonies without taking into account the project's adverse impact on the ecology. The green panel wants to be informed about the exact number of trees which are proposed to be cut for the redevelopment project. The bench headed by acting NGT chairperson Justice Jawad Rahim will hear the case on July 19. The High Court on Wednesday had asked the agencies which are overseeing the project if the green tribunal had approved the cutting of trees as it put off the project till July 4, the next hearing. "We could understand if it was a road-widening work which is inevitable. You want to cut thousands of trees for housing. Can Delhi afford this?" the judge asked the government-run National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC). The redevelopment plan involving areas under Sarojini Nagar, Netaji Nagar, Nauroji Nagar, Kasturba Nagar, Thyagraj Nagar, Srinivaspuri and Mohammadpur triggered huge protests across Delhi, with residents rubbishing the government's assurance that an equal number of saplings will be planted to compensate for the loss. Saplings, argue environmentalists, cannot replace fully grown trees for years in Delhi, which is among the most-polluted cities in the world. Criticised on social media for justifying the project, Hardeep Singh Puri, the union minister of state for housing and urban development, said today, "Till the time I am a minister no tree will be cut and for every tree that is cut we will plant 10 trees. Green cover will go up by three times after re-development of seven colonies in South Delhi. Young activists are too fast to blame."<doc-sep>
New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal has put on hold till July 19 the proposed felling of more than 16,000 trees for re-development of seven south Delhi colonies by the National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) and the Central Public Works Department (CPWD). A bench headed by Acting NGT Chairperson Justice Jawad Rahim also issued notices to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Central Pollution Control Board, CPWD, NDMC and others, asking them to file their responses before July 19. The green panel also directed the project proponents to make a categorical statement and inform it about the exact number of trees which are proposed to be cut for the redevelopment project. The petitioner, Society for Protection of Culture, Heritage, Environment, Traditions & Promotion of National Awareness, recently filed a plea in the NGT claiming that environmental clearance has been granted for seven general pool residential colonies without taking into account the possible adverse effect on the ecology. It said the clearance has been granted for colonies in Sarojini Nagar, Netaji Nagar, Nauroji Nagar through the NBCC and in Kasturba Nagar, Thyagraj Nagar, Srinivaspuri and Mohammadpur through the CPWD. The plea said that planting of saplings at another location as compensatory afforestation would not reduce the burden put on the environment due to large-scale felling of trees. The petition had made the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the Central Pollution Control Board, the Delhi Development Authority, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, the CPWD and others as parties in the case. Anil Sood, president of the NGO, said that the Centre has given clearance to the projects without considering several factors such as existing population density and the impact of cutting 16,500 trees on the ambient air quality in the area. The plea said an environment impact assessment report for the project around south Delhi shows that 11,000 trees will be cut in Sarojini Nagar, 1,465 will be cut in Nauroji Nagar, 3,033 will be chopped off from Netaji Nagar and another 520 will be felled from Kasturba Nagar out of a total of 19,976 trees in these areas. The re-development scheme plans to replace existing units of Type I to IV with a built-up area of around 7.49 lakh square metres with Type II to VI units with built-up area of around 29.18 lakh sqm with supporting infrastructure facilities. The projects will also develop government office accommodation of nearly 2.42 lakh sqm in Netaji Nagar. The total estimated project cost of Rs 32,835 crore includes maintenance and operation costs for 30 years and will be completed in five years in a phased manner.