A Central expert panel of the Union Environment Ministry has given its green signal for the Greenfield Jewar International Airport (GJIA) in Uttar Pradesh, which will result in the felling of nearly 12,000 trees and filling up of 14 water bodies.
According to sources in the Ministry, while a total 11,282 trees will be cut, around 178 trees will be transplanted from the proposed site spread over an area of 1,334 hectare to elsewhere. To compensate the green loss, the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) has asked the State Government to plant 1,12,820 saplings as per mandatory compensatory plantation in a time-bound manner and ensure their survival.
The Yogi Government has also proposed creation of nine new ponds (total area: 6 ha) mainly at the barren lands outside the airport boundary in lieu of the 14 lands that will be lost to the country’s largest international airport to be built in two phases.
