Axe effect

Vasant Kunj resident chops down tree; neighbours complain to L-G

Vasant Kunj resident chops down tree; neighbours complain to L-G

When Manie Sharma was fined for chopping down a tree two years ago, her Vasant Kunj neighbours expected that she would turn over a new leaf. But when Sharma repeated the act recently the rub of the green went against her as another resident clicked a picture of the stump and wrote a complaint to the Lieutenant Governor, demanding action.

Root cause: The accused had to pay a compounding feeu00a0 about two
years ago for chopping the same tree. Pic/mid day

"We have very few trees left and it's our collective responsibility to save them. But people in our society are cutting trees. This is not the first occasion; she mercilessly chopped the tree earlier also. She was booked for the same offence and had paid the compounding fee about two years ago," said Anil Sood who is Tree Officer of the Government of National Capital Territory (GNCT) nominated under the Tree Act.

Even Manie Sharma accepts that she razed the tree but has a different story to narrate. "I am staying here with my parents who are senior citizens and they cannot move around much. Because of the tree their view is blocked. So I razed the tree which I did earlier also and was fined for that.
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I don't mind paying a fine if my parents can feel comfortable. I have informed the residents that if the tree creates a problem, I will cut it. If they still want to fine me then I am ready to pay," said Manie Sharma, who is self-employed.

Touch wood

Felling and removal of trees anywhere in the National Capital Territory of Delhi -
a. Permission to fell trees is regulated under provisions of Delhi Tree Preservation Act, 1994; a copy of the same may be obtained from the Government Printing Press.
b. If a private individual/company wants to fell tree/trees anywhere in Delhi owned by them an application, in Form 'B' has to be made to the Tree Officer, Dy. Conservator of Forests (South/Central/West) and to Conservator of Forests, Delhi. The forms are available with the nearest Forest Office. The permission for felling is deemed to have been granted if no reply is received from the Tree Officer within 60 days. The applications complete in all respect will only be entertained by Tree Officer.
c. After obtaining permission, the individual/Company should fell the trees within the time limit prescribed in the licences.
d. If any tree is causing danger to life and property, the land owner may fell the tree and report the fact within 24 hours and such intimation should be made in Form 'A'.
e. It is for each individual and Company to effectively protect all the trees growing in their areas.