Tree felling despite HC order: Minister directs Forest Dept to file FIR

New Delhi: Delhi Environment Minister Imran Hussain said he received a complaint from an environment activist that trees were being cut at Netaji Nagar this morning despite a stay by the Delhi High Court, and directed the Forest Department to lodge an FIR against the people responsible for it.

Re-development of seven colonies in South Delhi have been proposed and NBCC and CPWD will be developing 25,667 government flats which will have 70,000 underground car parking. The re-development would require chopping over 14,000 trees. 

The decision led to a massive protest, following which NBCC and CPWD agreed in the high court to halt the felling of trees till July 4. The government-owned real estate development body NBCC is redeveloping Sarojini Nagar, Netaji Nagar, Nauroji Nagar, while the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) is managing the rest four colonies in Kasturba Nagar, Thyagraj Nagar, Srinivaspuri and Mohammadpur. 

Hussain said he received a complaint from green activist Vimlendu Jha, who claimed that trees were still being cut in Netaji Nagar despite the high court order. 

Hussain directed the Forest Department to take necessary action, including registration of an FIR, against the "the defaulting project proponent or user agency or mischievous person". 

Hussain also wrote to Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan and said that it has been found that the user agency has committed violations of conditions prescribed in the clearance given by the Delhi Forest Department for tree cutting and translocation.