New Delhi: Eighty trees were damaged by open roots and three more cut Marg Vikas last year, an inspection report prepared by the Forestry Department has said.
Forest officers said the Public Works Department (PWD) has violated the detention order twice during the excavation work and damaged trees.
Following the direction of the Delhi High Court, a tree officer conducted a hearing on Tuesday and directed the PWD executive engineer to appear directly.
In October last year, local residents had protested that claimed several broken trees on stretching between Laxmi Nagar Chuggi and Karkari more about Vikas Marg.
After a resident filed a complaint with the Ministry of Forestry, the Ministry of Forestry on October 7 issued a detention order to PWD to stop the ditch excavation work and further excavation of the earth around the affected trees.
After the tree officer conducted hearing in this matter on October 13, PWD submitted a reply to the Forestry Department who said that it took several steps to protect the trees from further damage.
However, a resident moved the High Court.
“During inspections, it was found 80 trees had been damaged because their roots were exposed.
After the detention order was removed, three more trees were cut down,” said a forest official.
On February 4, the action directed at the High Court under the preservation of Delhi trees, 1994 could be carried out by tree officers, after which the trial was held.
“We have asked PWD to answer why the detention order was violated twice.
We have called the executive engineer to appear directly on February 11.
Shared inspections from the Ministry of Forestry and PWD will be held on Wednesday to reassess the damage caused by trees,” said A forest official.
He added that the claim claims that stretches are forests that are considered verified.
“After confirmation, the action will be taken under the forest conservation law too,” the official said.
Meanwhile, a PWD official said, “The work on the road skaping project was underway at Vikas Marg.
A report has been submitted to the Ministry of Forestry in this matter.”