Lok Sabha Question No. 612 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-20
Subject: Impact of Cutting of Trees on Pollution
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: RAVINDRA VISHWANATH GAIKWAD, SANJAY SHAMRAO DHOTRE, RAHUL RAMESH SHEWALE, BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB, ANJU BALA, KIRIT SOMAIYA, Tejpratap Singh,Yadav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 612

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.07.2018

## Impact of Cutting of Trees on Pollution

612.    PROF. RAVINDRA VISHWANATH GAIKWAD:

SHRI SANJAY DHOTRE:

SHRI RAHUL SHEWALE:

SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB:

SHRIMATI ANJU BALA:

DR. KIRIT SOMAIYA:

SHRI TEJ PRATAP SINGH YADAV:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a)   whether the Government has granted permission to cut thousands of trees in Delhi for development  activities  and  redevelopment  of  Government  colonies,  if  so,  the  details thereof along with the number of trees cut so far;
- (b)   whether  the  Government  has  taken  care  of  environmental  aspect  while  granting  such permission and if so, the details thereof;
- (c)   whether such large scale cutting of trees adversely affect the environment and increase the already severe condition of air pollution in the city and if so, the details thereof;
- (d)   whether  the  Government  has  conducted  any  study  on  the  impact  of  loss  of  trees  on increase of pollution level in Delhi and if so, the details and the outcome thereof; and
- (e)   whether the Government is aware about the agitation and protest by residents of Delhi and environment activists and if so, the details thereof along with the corrective measures taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

(a) to (e) The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  (MoEF&CC) accords prior environmental clearance for projects or activities listed in the Schedule to the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006 (and its amendments) after having followed the prescribed process in the said notification. The Ministry after having followed the prescribed process in the EIA Notification, 2006 has granted environmental clearance to the  re-development  of  general  pool  residential  colonies  at  Netaji  Nagar,  Nauroji  Nagar, Sarojini  Nagar  and  Thyagraj  Nagar,  subject to stipulation  of  various  environmental safeguards in terms of the provisions of the EIA Notification, 2006 under the Environment (Protection)  Act,  1986.  Permission  for  cutting/felling  of  trees  is  under  the  jurisdiction  of State  Forest  Department  and  NOC/permission  before  felling  of  trees  is  required  to  be obtained from them under the Delhi Preservation of Tree Act, 1994.

Environmental  Clearances  are  granted  with  specific  stringent  conditions  which  are both project specific and general in nature as well as mitigative measures in accordance with the Environment Management Plan Report which is prepared on the basis of the study and are  to  be  complied  with  by  the  project  proponents.  The  compliance  of  these  conditions  is strictly assessed / evaluated / monitored by the concerned authorities at the State and Central level.

In  order  to  protect  the  environment,  different  conditions  were  stipulated  in  the environmental clearances issued to these projects which inter-alia includes:

-  The project  proponent  shall  obtain  all  necessary  clearance/  permission  from  all relevant  agencies  including  town  planning  authority  before  commencement  of work.  All  the  construction  shall  be  done  in  accordance  with  the  local  building byelaws.
-  The project proponent shall obtain necessary clearance/ permission from concerned authority before felling any tree.
-  The project  proponent  should  comply  with  the  directions  given  by  the  Hon'ble National Green Tribunal vide its Order dated 4 th September, 2017 in the matter of OA No. 553 of 2016 and Order dated 22 nd September, 2017 in the matter of MA No. 1154 of 2017 in OA No. 553 of 2016.
-  A minimum of 1 tree for every 80 sqm of land should be planted and maintained. The existing trees will be counted for this purpose. Preference should be given to planting native species. Where the trees need to be cut, compensatory plantation in the ratio of 1:10 (i.e. planting of 10 trees for every 1 tree that is cut) shall be done and maintained in compliance with the directions given by the Hon'ble National Green Tribunal vide its Order dated 4 th September, 2017 in the matter of OA No. 553 of 2016.

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