Forest dept asked to count trees from Vikaspuri to Janakpuri

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal Tuesday directed the forest department of Delhi government to give an exact count of trees on the Vikaspuri to Janakpuri stretch here on outer ring road where an elevated road would be coming up.

This comes after questions were raised over the actual number of trees currently on that stretch. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar also asked petitioner Aditya Prasad to join the forest official deputed to undertake the exercise and to count the trees on that stretch after he said that the number of trees according to the Public Works Department (PWD) is different from the actual figure. Prasad and the forest official were asked to inform the tribunal, on December 18, about the total number of trees present along the stretch from Vikaspuri to Janakpuri and how many of those will be cut. During the proceedings, apart from the actual number of trees, Prasad also raised the concern that once PWD cuts the trees along the entire 12 km of its elevated corridor from Vikaspuri to Mukarba Chowk, majority of the stretch would be devoid of foliage. The PWD countered his contention saying that only 1476 of the current 5116 trees along the stretch will be cut or transplanted and around 3640 trees will be saved. It also said that additional trees will be planted after completion of the project and the number will increase to 6548 after the elevated corridor is finished. Apart from that 14,760 trees will be planted as part of the 1:10 compensatory afforestation plan. The tribunal was hearing Prasad`s plea challenging the clearance granted to the PWD to cut 1,476 trees in the entire Vikas Puri-Mukarba Chowk stretch of the Outer Ring Road to build its elevated road.