My Report: Hug Delhi Trees Instead of Protesting on Social Media

In his ‘My Report’ for The Quint, environmentalist Vimlendu Jha appeals to his fellow Delhi citizens to come out on to the streets, hug the trees and and protest against the government’s move to chop 17,000 trees in the national capital.

I appeal to the citizens of Delhi to build that pressure against the government, and build it not only on Facebook or Twitter, but actually come on ground and hug these trees. Tell the government that they need to back off.

Vimlendu Jha, Environmentalist

Thousands of trees in the national capital will come under the centre’s axe for the re-development of six residential colonies in south Delhi by the National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) and the Central Public Works Department (CPWD). The Delhi High Court has put an interim stay on further felling of trees until the next hearing, which is scheduled for 4 July. However, thousands of trees have already been cut.

The NBCC, the government authority that is responsible for this construction, has not followed any norm mandated by the rule of law. There is something called “compensatory afforestation”, and as per NGT directions, they were supposed to plant ten saplings for each tree that they cut and only then get into the crime of cutting down trees.

Vimlendu Jha, Environmentalist

Jha goes on to question why the “compensatory afforestation” was not done before the trees were cut down, asking why the redevelopment plan cannot be implemented around the trees.

The environmentalist said that despite Delhi being the most polluted city in the world, the government, instead of trying to devise a natural plan to combat it, is planning to cut down the trees.

Delhi is the most polluted city in the world. Rather than fixing the air quality naturally, what the government is proactively doing is taking away the only lung that the city has.

Vimlendu Jha, Environmentalist