As the government’s decision to cut thousands of trees in south Delhi has come under fire from Delhiites and led to a political blame game, experts say the lives of the birds and animals in these areas hangs in the balance too.
Raise concerns
About 17,000 trees could be cut as a result of the Central government’s plan to redevelop seven staff colonies, leading conservationists to raise concerns over the impact on the birds and animals that call the trees home.
Citing long-term disturbance to local animal population, C.R Babu, a retired Delhi University professor, said, “Housing plans need to be designed in a way to avoid harm to the environment. Species like mongooses and squirrels are at risk because they could lose their place of dwelling. Birds will also lose their nesting locations,” he said.
Aditya Prasad, lawyer, alleges that birds protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 are under threat if the trees are cut.
“Birds like sparrow, mayna, and parakeets are protected species. Even touching a nest amounts to hunting of these birds,” said Mr. Prasad.
Not convinced
The impact will also be felt by other creatures like bees and lizards that would be rendered homeless if the tree cover disappears, said Suhas Borker, founder of The Green Circle.
Though Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri tweeted on Saturday that the government would plant 1.50 lakh trees to counteract the removal of the green cover, conservationists were not convinced.
Dr. Babu said that young saplings cannot rejuvenate the city because they will take about 10 years to reach the maturation stage of the trees currently being cut.
Compensatory efforts
The compensatory reforestation efforts by the government are also not focused on the areas directly impacted by deforestation.
“The replanting is taking place 20 km away and there is also no monitoring of the growth of these saplings,” said Dr. Borker.
Doubts survey
Mr. Prasad added that the Delhi government’s Environment and Forest Department, currently, had only two inspectors who could not logistically survey the potential damage to the city’s plants and animals.
