The forest and wildlife department recently sent out notices to the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) and the National Institute of Immunology (NII) for the unauthorized felling of trees in Dwarka’s Sector 5, in clear violation of the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act 1994 (DPTA). This alarming incident involved the cutting down of nearly 100 trees without the necessary approval from the forest department, prompting immediate action from the authorities.
The Unraveling Incident: Illegal Tree Felling in Dwarka
Upon investigation, it was revealed that the targeted site, where the trees were mercilessly chopped down, is actually owned by the National Institute of Immunology, with CPWD looking to develop a new building in the area. Under the DPTA regulations, any tree felling or pruning activity must first obtain explicit permission from a designated tree officer, a crucial step that was blatantly overlooked in this case.
A senior forest official shed light on the severity of the situation, stating, “No permission whatsoever was sought from any agency prior to the tree cutting incident. Our initial estimates suggest that approximately 100 trees have fallen victim to this violation. However, we are meticulously determining the number of trees that fall within the legal definition specified by the DPTA, based on their dimensions.”
Furthermore, a restraining order has been imposed to halt any ongoing activities at the site, with the confiscation of a JCB machine used in the illegal tree felling. The investigative process is underway to uncover the motives behind this reckless act that has not only harmed the local environment but also violated established conservation laws.
Voices from the Community: Witness Accounts and Official Responses
Chetan Sharma, a concerned resident residing in a nearby society in Dwarka’s Sector 5, took swift action by lodging a formal complaint with the forest department and alerting the authorities via a PCR call. Recounting the distressing sight of a mini forested area being decimated, Sharma shared, “I was shocked to witness a JCB machine ruthlessly uprooting trees on the site early Wednesday morning. Despite claims from a CPWD official that they were merely pruning the trees, the ground was littered with fallen trees, casting doubt on their intentions. No proof of permission from the forest department was presented by anyone at the scene.”
While efforts to reach CPWD for their official response were unsuccessful, a representative from the National Institute of Immunology defended the actions on the vacant plot, clarifying, “The proposed staff housing development required the clearance of shrubs that had overgrown due to neglect of the land for nearly a year. It’s crucial to note that no actual trees were harmed during this process, contrary to the claims made.”
In a similar legal precedent set earlier this year, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed a hefty environmental compensation of Rs 95.05 lakh on the transport department for unlawfully cutting down trees and failing to carry out the mandatory compensatory plantation during the construction of bus depots in Burari back in 2019. The NGT’s directive to all pollution control authorities nationwide to adopt their compensation calculation guidelines aims to deter such ecological violations and hold accountable those responsible for deforestation.
The ongoing investigation into the illegal tree felling incident in Dwarka underscores the critical importance of upholding environmental protection laws and fostering a culture of sustainable development to preserve our precious natural resources for future generations.
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