LG exempts Netaji Nagar land from tree act limit, clears way for 1,877 tree transplant

New Delhi: Lieutenant governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu has exempted 16

New Delhi: Lieutenant governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu has exempted 16.06 hectares of land in south Delhi’s Netaji Nagar from the one-hectare cap under the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act (DPTA), 1994, paving way for transplantation of 1,877 trees from the area.

A gazette notification issued on August 18 allows consideration of a proposal for transplantation or felling of trees for redevelopment of the General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA) colony. (HT Archive)

A gazette notification issued on August 18 allows consideration of a proposal for transplantation or felling of trees for redevelopment of the General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA) colony. The order follows an application by NBCC (India) Limited seeking permission for the exercise.

Under Section 9(3) of the DPTA, the tree officer can consider applications for tree transplantation or felling only up to one hectare. Since the Netaji Nagar project covers a larger area, the tree officer sought an exemption under Section 29 of the Act.

The LG, exercising powers under Section 29, granted the exemption. However, the notification clarifies that the exemption does not itself amount to permission to transplant or fell trees. “This notification for exemption under Section 29 of the DPTA, 1994, in any case, shall not be considered as permission for transplantation/felling of trees under the DPTA, 1994,” the notification said.

The exempted area is part of an outer boundary measuring 16.5449 hectares, with 0.4849 hectares as non-exempted area. The same provision was used for tree transplantation for the Central Vista and Barapullah flyover projects last year.