A Government-appointed expert panel has recommended for environmental clearance to redevelopment of three South Delhi projects, which have been lurking over the proposal to fell a large number of trees, after they were revised to translocate trees instead of cutting them.
The expert appraisal committee (EAC) of the ministry of environment, forests and climate change (MOEFCC) has cleared the revised housing projects in Sarojini Nagar, Netaji Nagar and Kasturba Nagar colonies.
According to the revised plans of these colonies, trees will be translocated/ transplanted instead of being cut, which the environmentalists feel will be a "failure".
In Sarojini Nagar, out of 11,913 trees, 3,500 trees will be translocated and the rest will be retained at the project site. In Netaji Nagar, of the 3,906 proposed trees to be felled, 1,600 are to be translocated and the rest retained. In Kasturba Nagar, 405 will be translocated, and 798 retained, as per the EAC meeting minutes.
The EAC noted that due to petitions in the Delhi High Court and NGT against redevelopment of seven GPRA (General Pool Residential Accommodation) colonies over felling of trees, including the three colonies which have now been cleared, there was a status quo on these projects since July 2018.
