CHIPKO DELHI MOVEMENT

CHIPKO PARTICIPATION BY GREEN CIRCLE

On 24.6.2018, Green Circle has conducted a symbolic CHIPKO in front of Diamond Square apartment Sector 6 Dwarka. A large number of members who participated in the Chipko Dwarka had proceeded further to join the CHIPKO INDIA site at Sarojini nagar. Anil Sood of CHETNA, NGO received the Green Circle team. Selvarajan on behalf of Green Circle addressed the gathering and expressed solidarity with the CHIPKO organizers. Advocate Gautam Sarkar announced that Green Circle will join the application filed by CHETNA before NGT to take the task legally. Addressing the media persons, Selvarajan said that compensatory planting of 135000 trees is just an eye wash and would in no way compensate the well grown trees axed now.  He added that there is no logic or rhyme in planting 10 little saplings in the place of one 50 year old tree in respect of oxygen contribution. He wondered how the environmental clearance for the whole project was given, without properly accounting the environmental loss due to cutting trees. Green Circle members Ravi Jaitley, S K Malik, Anurag Mohan, Munish, Anurag Behl, Romilla Gandhi, Jyoti, Sandhya, Vadhera embraced the tree and vowed to save trees. Members later joined the candle march also

On 27.6.2018, Green circle team led by Anil Kumar Parashar led the protest at the protest site in Sarojini Nagar. Sukh dukh ke saathi team lead by Capt. Mann joined the protest. Protestors from other parts of Delhi joined in support. Protestors displayed placards in support of stoppage of brutal killing of fully grown up trees. It was also informed that whole night patrolling will continue to stop cutting of trees despite orders of the incident after reported alleged incident.

On 1.7.2018, CHIPKO Protest was held at Sri Fort South Delhi in an unique way to save trees of South Delhi. From Green Circle Dwarka, Mr Parashar, Mr Deewan Singh, Mr R K Khanna and V Selvarajan participated. Number of events based on natural heritage and magic events were organised to highlight the fate of trees. Naveena Jaffa who is an academician and classical dancer on heritage themes and disciple of Pandit Birju maharaj, gave a different shape to the protests and was happy to be the voice of trees through her dance . She performed on the importance of trees as explained in Rig Veda. Her puppeteer magicians performed a skit on the “Save Trees”

Next Sunday 8.7.2018, Chipko programs will be in Dwarka. Green Circle has been asked to organise the events in Dwarka. Green Circle will involve all NGOs and arrange a massive program in Sector 6 market on 8.7.18 Sunday at 5.30 PM. People from all over Delhi are expected to participate. Street plays and sapling holding will be held to highlight the need to save trees. V Selvarajan, Anil Parashar and Deewan Singh are members of the working group of CHIPKO Delhi based at South Delhi

Green Circle files petition with NGT

Aggrieved by the unmindful cutting of 16500 trees under the 7 General Pool Residential  Accommodation (GPRA) project in South Delhi, Green Circle filed its petition with NGT against tree felling  on 29.6.2018. The petition came up for hearing today by Hon’ble Dr. Justice Jawad Rahim vide our Original Application No. 418/2018 (M.A. No. 961/2018) Green Circle Vs. CPWD & Ors. The petition has been listed form admission in NGT on 2.7.2018

Green Circle in its petition highlighted the following issues

1.    Environmental Clearance for the project has ignored the assessment of population density post redevelopment and floating population density. It has not taken into account the vehicular traffic density post redevelopment and the carrying capacity of all the roads around the redevelopment projects ;

2.    Air Pollution The amount of manifold increase in air pollution leading to unprecedented AQI is not addressed. Mega Construction involves Mining, Stone Crashing, Transportation, Batch Mixing, Curing, Grinding , Surface preparation, POP, Spray & Policing etc which leads to increased PM 2.5 and PM 10 level

3.    Ecological imbalance on cutting down large number trees in terms of Oxygen yield, other benefits from trees and how the compensatory plantation of small saplings elsewhere in the ratio of 1:10 will compensate the benefits derived from the existing trees to be chopped ;

4.    Accuracy of data on felling Number of trees to be Cut / Chopped off (As per Env Assessment Report one figure, MOEF&CC is providing some other figure and contradictory figures given by Forest Dept Govt of NCT Delhi LG office has provided

5.    Transplantation of Trees as chances of survival is very poor and 1:10 ratio plantation will not be feasible

6.    Lutyens time tested design The fact that the project area which was developed during 1920s i.e lutyens period (particularly NDMC Areas) has withstood the test of time and is still proudly regarded as one of the finest designs cannot be ignored and what is the need for redevelopment of the same area once again.  

7.    Shift Project elsewhere The Urban Development Ministry /DDA could find alternative location for housing the accommodation of govt. Officials in Delhi or elsewhere.

8.    Water shortage Sufficient availability of Water during construction of the Project and potable Water after construction are not addressed

9.    Power supply Whether extra power required when population in this area will increase manifold and whether more power will be required  in high rise due to additional lifts & water pumps.

10. Landfills we are not having sufficient space for Landfill in Delhi. No other Landfill areas/ Extra capacity in STP have been identified

11. Population Density Delhi & NCR`s existing population density is in comparison to the International Standards based on existing Standards and Norms and if not, how to manage the Projected Population Density.

12. Tree density Present Delhi Tree Density and projected Tree Density (Tree/ Person) are not in comparison to International Standards.

Our Prayer to The Hon`blw Green Tribunal are as stated below ;

a.    Grant an Interim and Ex-Party Stay to all the redevelopment project of all 7 General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA).

b.    Restrain CPWD and NBCC from carrying out construction without placing before this Hon`ble Green Tribunal the assessment of parameters stated in our Petition,

c.    Restrain from cutting trees and also direct Respondents to place the study of existing AQI and assessed AQI after chopping of 16,575 trees and impact thereof

d.    Direct Dept of Forest & DPCC to place on record impact assessment on Ecologically Sensitive Areas Around ;

e.    Direct DPCC, NDMC, MoEFCC DJB, CPWD & SDMC to place on record the permission given to CPWD and NBCC for supply of fresh water, Establishment of STP and Drainage

f.     Pass Order to get suitable compensation from the Respondents and if any compensatory deposits were made by the Respondents which are to be forfeited.

g.    Pass an Order for developing Gardens, Parks and Parking Slots or any other social welfare activities in those areas where the Trees has already been chopped in the discretion of Hon`ble Green Tribunal.

h.    A Permanent Policy may be developed and implemented to address that such type of situation may not occur in the near future. 

i.      Pass any other Order(s) as this Hon`ble Green Tribunal think deems fit and proper in the interest of justice.

On hearing our petition, the Honourable court has admitted our petition and passed on the following order 

Notice issued to 12 respondents and status quo passed by high court on 25.6.18 will be maintained and  there will not be any felling of trees till next hearing , that is 19.7.18.