The Delhi government’s forest and wildlife department has issued an order directing to cease any construction work at a parcel of land at Bharat Vandana Park project in Dwarka as it found that trees were being “illegally” cut.
Spread across 220 acres, the project is being developed by the NBCC — formerly known as National Buildings Construction Corporation (India) Limited — backed by the Delhi Development Authority, which aims to make it a major tourist attraction with an eco-forest zone, lakes and replicas of important monuments from different states.
On June 11, Lieutenant-Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, who chairs the DDA, visited the project site and directed officials to ensure the “highest standards” of construction in the project.
The forest department has directed to “cease all excavation and construction work at the said parcel of land” in the park, owned by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), to prevent “further damage to the trees”.
However, a DDA official said that two orders dated June 9 and June 10 were issued regarding the said violation at the project site.
Both the orders said the construction activities in Bharat Vandana Park violated the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994.
After being inspected by the officials of “West Forest Division, Department of Forests & Wildlife, GNCTD, it has been reported that illegal cutting of trees at a parcel of the land at Bharat Vandana Park has been found,” it added, the June 10 order read. An initial order on June 9 said the department found “many numbers” of trees being “illegally cut”.
“The work has resumed leaving only a certain water body area that covers about 5% of the total area, as stated in the revised order of the forest department on June 10. Out of the total area, the restrainment is on close to 10 acres of land,” the DDA official said.
