Call centre to lodge complaints of tree felling in Delhi soon

Concerned over rampant cutting of trees to implement various infrastructure projects, the Delhi government is now considering setting up of a call centre to receive complaints of such incidents.
Officials said the government is planning to set up the call centre to encourage citizens to lodge complaints of tree felling.
The proposal was discussed at length today at a meeting Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had with top officials of Environment department.
"We are seriously considering setting up of a call centre to receive complaints of tree felling as people often find it difficult to register their complaints," said a senior official.

Around 50 trees were felled and 40 trees were damaged in March by PWD while implementing a road widening project in south Delhi's Vasant Kunj area. The residents had strongly protested cutting of the trees.
As per provision of Delhi Protection of Trees Act, 1994, 10 saplings have to be planted for felling of each tree.

The Chief Minister also asked the Environment Department to remove all kinds of signboards, electric wires and nails from the trees at the earliest.
The Chief Minister directed the Environment department to chalk out a comprehensive action plan to plant between 10 and 15 lakh saplings during ensuing monsoon season.

Officials said the department will soon launch a "well- conceived media campaign" to exhort people to join the plantation drive.
They said Dikshit directed the Environment department to concentrate planting saplings around shopping malls, bus depots, Aero city, schools, colleges and government offices
"The Chief Minister also asked the department to take proper care of the saplings," the official said.
The official claimed the Environment department had raised more than 45 lakh tree saplings since the year 2000, while other agencies have raised over 82 lakh saplings in the last 13 years.
The Environment department would made available saplings free of cost at various petrol pumps, mother dairy booths, government offices and would involve school children, eco- clubs, RWAs, trade associations and NGOs in the plantation drive.

Dikshit also instructed the Environment department to keep a "close eye" on compensatory plantation by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, which will cut around 15,000 trees to implement the phase-III expansion of its network.
The land for compensatory plantation by DMRC has been identified by the Environment Department.
The Chief Minister also asked the officials to ensure proper care and protection to 42 city forests developed by the government.
On report of the Forest Survey of India which said the green cover in Delhi gone down, environment department officials told the meeting that the report was not very accurate.