IN A TUSSLE PWD wants to fell around 1,500 trees for three elevated roads; on the other hand, forest dept wants the agency to first relocate trees if possible

New Delhi: The public works department (PWD) and the forest department have locked horns over a proposal to cut trees for an elevated road project on the Outer Ring Road in west Delhi.

The PWD wants to cut 1,476 trees for three elevated roads — Vikaspuri to Meera Bagh, Mangolpuri to Madhuban Chowk and Madhuban Chowk to Mukarba Chowk — for the project. Hearing a petition that most of these trees are on service lanes while the project is coming up on the central verge, the National Green Tribunal had stayed the cutting of trees in June this year.

The forest department wants the PWD to first relocate, wherever possible, the trees and then go ahead with cutting them in a phased manner. Since relocation of trees would take several months, the PWD has said it is going to cut trees and that the forest department can charge them the security amount.

In August, the green tribunal had allowed cutting of 167 trees but only on the central verge. When the PWD again requested for cutting 75 trees, the tribunal in September said: “PWD can translocate/remove 75 trees only if they are coming in way of construction on the central verge, subject to verification by forest department. It would first permit translocation, wherever possible, followed by felling.”

The forest department has admitted that these 75 trees are not directly linked with the construction of the central verge. “The central verge construction will push traffic on to service lanes, requiring felling of 75 trees,” the inspection report said.

It further stated that the “PWD first translocate 21 trees. Felling of the rest of the trees can be taken up systematically, at regular intervals in consultation with the tribunal”.

But while the relocation is yet to begin, the PWD on October 30 informed the forest department that: “PWD is going to fell 54 trees out of the 75… work has been totally stopped because of non-felling of trees. You’re requested to send a demand letter for us to deposit security amount. Please treat the matter as most urgent.”

Source:http://paper.hindustantimes.com/