The compensatory plantation of 4,040 tree saplings, for uprooting 404 trees for building the new Parliament, will not happen in the Central Vista area, as per a new Delhi Government notification.
Also, the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) will effectively get an extra year, than the original permission, to plant the 4,040 saplings.
Similarly, permission has been given to transplant 274 of the 404 uprooted trees, at the NTPC Eco-Park in Badarpur, about 22 km away, instead of the Central Vista area.
The compensatory plantation of 4,040 tree saplings will also be done at the Eco Park, as per the new notification issued by the Delhi Government on November 9, 2021.
As per the initial permission given by the Delhi Government on September 16, 2020, 404 trees were supposed to be transplanted and 4,040 saplings planted in the Central Vista area, near the existing Parliament and close to the India Gate area.
“Transplantation of 404 trees which are standing on the site shall be done by user agency at eight pockets in Central Vista, New Delhi,” the September 16, 2020, notification giving permission for transplantation of the trees by Delhi Government had read.
On November 25, 2020, The Hindu reported that trees being transplanted for construction of the new Parliament building, are being transplanted in the Eco Park, in violation of approval given by the Delhi Government on September 16,
A day later, the Delhi Government sent a show-cause notice to the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), citing the article and followed it with an inspection of the Eco Park.
On December 3, 2020, the CPWD sought for the compensatory plantation of 4,040 trees to be done at the Eco Park, instead of the Central Vista area.
The CPWD also requested the Delhi Government for a one-year extension for it. The CPWD said that it was not feasible to complete the entire compensatory afforestation by January 2021 and asked for time till January 31, 2022.
The agency also sought permission for transplantation of 274 trees at the Eco Park. As per the new notification, the site change has been allowed and three months to do the plantation from the date of tree removal permission.
“Additional 500 trees shall be planted by User Agency to offset any increase in mortality of transplanted trees,” the new notification reads.
A senior CPWD official said the latest notification was the same approval as the previous one, but the location of transplantation had been modified on the CPWD’s request. “Most of the transplantation has been already done,” the official said.
(With inputs from Damini Nath)
Published - November 11, 2021 01:22 am IST
