The forest and wildlife department has booked the public works department (PWD) for resuming trenching work on a stretch of road in CR Park without due permission and for damaging 10 more trees in the process, officials said on Tuesday.
A hearing on the matter will be held next week to determine the penalty to be imposed on the road agency, while a fresh restraining order has also been issued to prevent any further trenching work, for laying underground cables, from taking place at the site, the officials said.
Mandeep Mittal, deputy conservator of forest (south) said during an inspection last Thursday, the forest department found fresh damage to around 10 trees on Bipin Chandra Pal Marg in CR Park, south Delhi. The trenching work, officials said, was restarted by the PWD despite the forest department issuing a ‘stop work’ order against the road agency in last October, after it was found digging too close to the trees and damaging them in the process.
“A stay order was in place against the PWD after they dug within a metre of the trees in October. We received a complaint that work had resumed without permission and more trees have been damaged in the process. An on-ground inspection revealed that around 10 trees have been damaged in the latest trenching work,” said Mittal, stating a case had been registered against the PWD under the Preservation of Trees Act, with a hearing scheduled next week to determine the quantum of fine to be imposed.
{{/usCountry}}“A stay order was in place against the PWD after they dug within a metre of the trees in October. We received a complaint that work had resumed without permission and more trees have been damaged in the process. An on-ground inspection revealed that around 10 trees have been damaged in the latest trenching work,” said Mittal, stating a case had been registered against the PWD under the Preservation of Trees Act, with a hearing scheduled next week to determine the quantum of fine to be imposed.
{{/usCountry}}Verhaen Khanna, an environmental activist who runs the NGO New Delhi Nature Society (NDNS), filed the initial complaint in October, as well as the recent complaint last week, stating that the trenching work was in violation of the forest department’s October order, as well those of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which in 2015 directed agencies to not dig within a one-metre radius of trees.
“Several trees have been damaged once again, despite a clear order by the forest department last year informing the police and the PWD to stop any further work. It is unfortunate that both agencies failed to protect trees on the stretch,” said Khanna, stating that strict penal action was required against the road agency.
The PWD did not respond to calls and text messages from HT seeking comment on the matter.
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