New Delhi, 2 May: The Delhi Development Authority has requested the Environment ministry to ease the provisions of the compensatory afforestation in New Delhi.
The authority faced significant difficulties in allocating land for the compensatory afforestation in New Delhi and has asked the union ministry to allow it in other states as well.
The Vice-chairman, DDA has concerns about its impact on the ongoing and upcoming developmental projects. With increasing development, they are finding it difficult to carry out compensatory afforestation.
It is stated in the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, in case a forest land is allocated for a development project, compensatory afforestation is mandatory. For every tree that is cut down, another 10 new saplings have to be planted, according to the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994.
In 2021, DDA wrote to the ministry to explore the possibility of getting land in neighbouring states for compensatory afforestation in lieu of trees felled for proposed central government projects.
