LG VK Saxena (file photo)
Sanjeev Gupta, New Delhi. The Delhi Government has granted special exemption under the Delhi Tree Preservation Act (DPTA) 1994 to facilitate the construction work of the main drain from Kirari to a supplementary drain near Rithala in north-west Delhi.
According to the notification issued in this regard, LG VK Saxena has exempted 3.2 hectare area from this provision, because according to the Act, tree-related permissions can be given only for projects with a maximum area of one hectare at a time, whereas this project needed special exemption as it exceeded this limit.
The notification states that this exemption has been given in public interest under Section 29 of the Act. The proposal was submitted by Rohini Project Division-I of Delhi Development Authority (DDA). In this, permission was sought for transplantation or cutting of 84 trees affected in the first phase of drain construction. The application was examined by the Tree Officer of the Northern Forest Division.
A copy of the notification seen by Dainik Jagran said that this exemption was necessary because the Tree Officer can normally process only applications up to one hectare under Section 9(3) of the Act. Therefore, in the order, the large project area has been 'exempted from the limit of maximum area of one hectare under sub-section (3) of Section 9 of the said Act.'
However, the government has clarified that this exemption does not allow felling or transplantation of trees. The order states, 'This notification will not under any circumstances be considered as permission for transplantation/cutting of trees.' It further states that all applications relating to felling or transplantation of trees will be individually and independently examined by the Tree Officer under the existing laws, rules, guidelines and court orders with directions to minimize the number of trees affected.
The notification also includes detailed geographical coordinates showing the boundaries of the exempted zone between Kirari and Rithala. This order has been issued by Environment and Forest Secretary Vijay Kumar Bidhuri on the instructions of LG.
Also read- Delhi government gives concession to 84 trees from DPTA for Kirari-Rithala drain project, problem of waterlogging will go away