14,000 of 21,000 trees to be axed for redevelopment of south Delhi colonies: Govt

About 14,000 trees would be felled for the re-development of seven colonies in south Delhi, the government said today.

Responding to reports that nearly 17,000 trees would be cut in Nauroji Nagar, Netaji Nagar, Sarojini Nagar, Mohammadpur, Sriniwaspuri, Kasturba Nagar and Thyagaraj Nagar as a part of the re-development, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, in a statement, said "14,031 trees are to be cut out of the existing 21,040 trees".

It added that the redevelopment would lead to "an increase in the green area coverage by about three times...and the compensatory plantation of trees will be done in the ratio of 1:10, thereby resulting in an enhanced tree-coverage area".

"The re-development of the seven colonies is being done with complete adherence to environmental sustainability and green building concepts and special care and attention is being given towards retaining the maximum number of the existing trees," the statement said.

The ministry said 1,35,460 trees would be planted, resulting in an "urban forest", which would help generate oxygen and reduce the pollution levels in the city.

In Sarojini Nagar, 8,322 of the 11,913 trees would be cut while in Nauroji Nagar, 1,465 of the 1,513 tress would be chopped.

In Netaji Nagar, 2,315 of the 3,906 trees would be cut, while in Mohammadpur, 562 trees would be felled. In Kasturba Nagar, 723 trees, in Sriniwaspuri, 750 trees and in Tyagraj Nagar, 93 trees would be cut, the statement said.

Activists had earlier protested against the felling of the trees.

"We have never seen compensatory plantation to be a successful solution to cutting trees. Given Delhi's pollution levels, it is necessary that the old trees are not uprooted," activist Padmavati Dwivedi had said yesterday.

Lawyer Aditya Prasad, who deals with environment-related cases, had called the move "suicidal".

"There is no place for compensatory plantation in Sarojini Nagar, Nauroji Nagar and Netaji Nagar. Given the spiking pollution levels, the move would be suicidal," he had said.