Tree Authority not consulted in planning projects, NGT told

The National Green Tribunal was today informed that the Tree Authority, set up to conduct critical studies before any infrastructure work is given a go- ahead, has till date not been consulted even once on any of the projects coming up in the national capital.
The submission was made before a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar, who sought response of the Delhi government on the issues raised by the petitioner Aditya Prasad, as part of his plea seeking directions that the forest department or environment ministry should be consulted while planning developmental projects.
The tribunal directed Delhi government to file its reply addressing the issues raised by the petitioner and listed the matter for disposal on November 1.

The petitioner contended before the bench that while all developmental projects are first required to get clearances from various civic authorities, like forest department, before approaching the Unified Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure (Planning & Engineering) Centre (UTTIPEC) for approval, the reverse is going on.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Development Authority informed the bench that it has inducted experts from forest department into UTTIPEC as had been sought by the petitioner.
Prasad in his plea had sought directions to the UTTIPEC to "take the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and the Forest and Wildlife departments of the Delhi government on board while planning and implementing projects so that the destruction to the environment can be mitigated".

The petition has also sought that "all projects must be sent to the Tree Authority to critically analyse the environmental impact and suggest precautionary and preventive measures."

Prasad has said in his plea that due to the "blatant disregard" for environmental laws and guidelines by civic authorities, the environment is being "irreparably damaged".
He said in his plea that there has been "continuous and illegal felling of trees by the authorities on the pretext of development and modernisation of the capital region."
The Tree Authority is the nodal agency for preservation of trees and upholding the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994.