Delhi's own Chipko Movement surges against 16,000 trees to be sacrificed for 'redevelopment'

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Not long ago, the national capital was chocking with the dust storm that entered here through Aravali Hills, for we do not have the forest cover to keep the air clean from the pollution and to keep the soil cover intact.

Amidst these alarming situation in Delhi, when environmental heads should be on their toes to make the situation better, the National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) proposed the project for the redevelopment of south Delhi colonies for which they'll have to cut down more than 16,000 trees.

Public protests against tree-cutting

This project has really shaken up the roots of the people so much so that they filed a petition before Delhi High Court, asking them not to cut trees.

This led to Delhi getting its own Chipko Movement against this redevelopmental project.

Dr Kaushal Kant Mishra, a city-based orthopaedic filed a petition and taken time till July 4 to amend his plea and challenge the tree authority's decision.

The PIL has sought setting aside of the terms of reference (ToR) and environment clearance (EC) granted to the project by the Environment Ministry, saying it would lead to the cutting of over 16,500 trees.

According to the petition, the separate ECs for each area in South Delhi were granted between November last year and June this year.

AREAS COMING UNDER THE BELT OF ENVIRONMENT CLEARANCE:

South Delhi areas were famous for thick forest belts near IIT region and towards the Aravali, but now even the left over green space is under threat.

This list includes six main areas in South Delhi colonies, including:

• Sarojini Nagar
• Naoroji Nagar
• Netaji Nagar
• Thyagaraja Nagar
• Mohammadpur
• Kasturba Nagar

POINT OF ARGUMENT OF PETITION

Of course, nothing can replace a full grown tree.

The petition has claimed that planting of saplings in another location as compensatory afforestation would not reduce the burden which would be put on the environment due to the large-scale felling of trees.

It has claimed that saplings would be a "poor substitute" for the fully grown trees that would be felled for the housing projects.