Nehru Park jogging tracks against green norms: Forest department
Deputy conservator forests (south division) Amit Anand, who slapped the NDMC with the notice on December 17 for constructions in Nehru Park, which is a deemed forest, said continuing work despite instructions was a violation of the FC Act.
Three months after the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) was issued a notice by the city’s forest department to stop work on a synthetic jogging track being installed at Nehru Park, the civic agency is continuing work, violating the Forest Conservation Act (1980).
Deputy conservator forests (south division) Amit Anand, who slapped the NDMC with the notice on December 17 for constructions in Nehru Park, which is a deemed forest, said continuing work despite instructions was a violation of the FC Act.
“This is surely a violation of the FC Act and they (NDMC) are overlooking the directions of the notice. Since the agency is not following the directions of the notice, action will have to be taken by the union ministry of environment, forest and climate change’s (MoEFCC) regional office,” said Anand.
In the notice issued to the NDMC in December, the forest department had pointed out that Nehru Park was a deemed forest and any non-forest activity here, including construction of any kind, was prohibited.
In Delhi’s context, “an area above 2.5 acres having a density of 100 trees per acre as well as stretches along roads and drains having a length of one kilometre,” are considered ‘deemed forests’. To undertake any “non-forest related activity” in such area permissions have to be sought from the union ministry of environment, forest and climate change under the Forest Conservation Act (1980).
A senior NDMC official said the agency in a response sent to the forest department, said the 80-acre Nehru Park was not a “forest”, but a recreational park.
“Nehru Park is not mentioned in the list of Delhi’s forests. It is a park meant for recreational purposes. However, any additions made to the park will in no way hamper the ecology of the area,” the official said.
Apart from violating the FC Act, another restraining order was issued in January to the NDMC for concretising 40 trees in the park. After the restraining order was issued, the civic body claims to have de-concretised the trees and submitted a status report to the forest department.
On January 14, deputy inspector general forests (central range) Prachi Gangwar, in a letter to the city forest department asked for a “factual report based on field visits in reference to both complaints”.
HP Singh, superintendent engineer (roads), NDMC, on Thursday said they have responded to the forest department notice issued for the construction of the synthetic jogging track and the concretisation around trees.
“We have replied to the forest department and are also maintaining the required distance around the trees,” Singh said.
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