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The severe summer air pollution in the country’s capital and the shocking revelation that 16,500 healthy trees are going to be axed to give way to the redevelopment of six South Delhi colonies seem to have stirred the collective conscience of the city. As a result, we see citizens coming together in what is being called Delhi’s ‘Chipko movement’ to protect the trees with slogans like “We want trees, not buildings’, ‘Trees are living entities’. This large scale tree-cutting plan by the government, they argue, can jeopardise for years to come the existing ecosystem of the city and bring upon the public even harsher weather conditions and a harder existence.
While a PIL pleaded with the courts to set aside the clearance given by the Environment Ministry to the project and was granted reprieve with a stay on tree cutting till July 4, this raises larger issues of urban development. The primary area of concern is the wisdom of the redevelopment project itself.
Delhi’s government colonies such as Kidwai Nagar, Sarojini Nagar, Naoroji Nagar, Netaji Nagar and Thyagaraja Nagar have always been home to humble but comfortable double-storied accommodation with wide roads, well laid out parks and large numbers of classic shady trees like neem, peepal and jamun.
When these are replaced with skyscrapers, thousands of flats and massive commercial buildings, including a World Trade Centre at Nauroji Nagar, how is Delhi supposed to cope with its demands of water, electricity and waste management? Even today the larger Delhi area lacks all three. To top this, there will be no tree cover in the concrete jungles.
While the government is trying to assure its agitated citizens that it has and will take measures towards afforestation, media reports reveal that hardly any replanting has been done so far even for the projects that started last year. Besides, planting of saplings in another location as compensatory afforestation would not reduce the burden put on the environment by axing thousands of healthy full-grown trees.
It is imperative for the administration to immediately axe the projects, think again and go for a less ambitious programme that is planned around the existing ecosystem.
Editorial Consultant
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