PWD assures to take care of green belt along elevated road
The Public Works Department (PWD) has told the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that it will take care of the greenbelt along the elevated road project on the Vikas Puri-Mukarba Chowk stretch. The green tribunal is bothered because the PWD has estimated to cut about 1476 trees for the construction of the elevated road.
‘10 trees for every one that will be cut’ – PWD
In this regard, the civic body has assured to plant 2908 saplings along the stretch in order to replace the 1476 trees which are planned to be cut. The PWD has also promised the tribunal that besides taking care of the green belt along the proposed elevated road, it will also take up compensatory afforestation at another site. It has planned to follow 1:10 ratio, as per which it will plant 10 trees for every single tree that is being cut for the project.
When will the issue be finalised?
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar that discussed the issue with the PWD officials has fixed the matter for final disposal on October 18. On that day, the tribunal will be finalising the fate of the project as well as the trees.
‘Petitioner can give suggestions’
In the meantime, the bench has given two weeks’ time to petitioner Aditya Prasad to file his response regarding the submissions in the PWD’s affidavit. He is also given the rights to make suggestions and precautions, which may later be adopted by the authorities during the execution of the project.
What is PWD’s stand?
The tribunal had questioned the authority and its engineer for only being concerned about their project and not bothering about saving the trees in the project area. Within a month, the PWD’s submissions came up. In its affidavit, it had mentioned that it is complying with all directions issued by the NGT. And it has sought the tribunal to allow it to freely continue with the project instead of the restricted manner which is being followed by the PWD at present.
What had NGT directed?
The NGT had ordered the Chief Engineer of PWD to file a personal affidavit giving complete details of the trees that require to be felled along with the details of those which would be transplanted nearby or at some other site. The tribunal had also said that if it is not possible to transplant the trees that would be removed or felled, then reforestation in the ratio of 1:20 should be done by the PWD.
