New Delhi, Aug 18 : Delhi Lt.Governor V.K.Saxena, on Thursday, wrote to the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, asking about the delay in the processing of applications for permission for tree translocations in several projects of CPWD, DMRC, Indian Railways, resulting in the wasting of public funds due the time and cost overruns of the proposed projects. In the letter that has been accessed by IANS, the LG mentioned: “Several major projects have been held up for an unreasonable period of time for want of permission for felling/translocating trees under the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994 by the Department of Forest and Wildlife, GNCTD.”
The letter also states that some of the most important projects delayed because of the above reasons include the redevelopment of General Pool Accommodation in Sriniwaspuri, Sarojini Nagar, Construction of Executive Enclave of Central Vista Project, Construction of Residential Quarters for the Central Industrial Security Force, Corridors of Delhi MRTS Phase IV, Dwarka Expressway, EMU at Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station etc.
The LG in the letter stated that Section 9(3) of the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994 states that the Tree Officer decide within 60 days of the date of the receipt of the application for permission to cut, fall or remove the remains of the tree.
“It was brought to my attention that a substantial number of applications for permission to carry out tree cutting in accordance with the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act 1994 are pending with the Department for different time periods of duration that extend beyond sixty days.
In some cases, the time for submitting exceeds one year,” said LG Saxena in the letter.
He added that inexplicably long delays in the process of deciding of applications for permission are leading in the wasting of public money due to the time and cost overruns of the projects, for which accountability has to be reestablished.
“Considering the public importance of projects and the inconvenience being faced by several agencies, I had raised the matter regarding undue delay in disposal of applications for grant of permission for tree cutting/translocation in case of various projects of CPWD, DMRC, Indian Railways several times during my meetings with you, however the pendency continues to persist,” said the Delhi LG.
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