No trees would be cut in South Delhi: Hardeep Singh Puri

New Delhi: No trees would be cut in the process of redevelopment of seven colonies in South Delhi, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Thursday, as he also assured that the national capital's green cover would not be “damaged” and steps would be taken to enhance it.

The housing and urban affairs minister said the agencies -- the NBCC and the CPWD -- entrusted to executing the redevelopment project have been asked to rework and redesign the plans to avoid cutting of trees. 

However, some trees may be transplanted at some other location and the NBCC has floated an Expression of Interest for the acquisition of tree re-location/transplantation equipment and for engaging services of trained professional entities in this respect, an official release said. 

“I have always maintained that the green cover in Delhi will not be damaged & steps will be taken to enhance it even further. As stated earlier, no trees will henceforth be cut in the process of redevelopment of Delhi colonies,” Puri said in a tweet. 

Puri's comment came after he held a meeting on the proposed cutting of trees with Delhi LG Anil Baijal, DDA vice chairman Udai Pratap Singh, NBCC CMD Anoop Kumar Mittal, CPWD DG Abhai Sinha and HUA secretary D S Mishra, among others. 

“I chaired a meeting of all stakeholders where NBCC/CPWD have been asked to rework & redesign the plans. We will also go ahead with compensatory plan of planting 1 million trees within the next 3 months. 

Citizen groups will be invited to suggest locations for transplantation,” he said in another tweet.  Amid a blame game over environment nod for the project, Puri said all the permissions were earlier granted by the Forest Department of the Delhi government on the recommendation of Delhi Environment Minister Imran Hussain. 

“I have now asked agencies concerned (CPWD and NBCC) to rework plans. I hope the Delhi government will now follow this example in all plans,” he added.