RTR: Forest dept told to file report

NEW DELHI: A day after TOI reported that the Rao Tula Ram flyover project has been held up due to lack of forest clearance for tree cutting, environment minister Asim Ahmed Khan held a meeting with the forest department and has asked it to report on the status of the case.
“I have asked the forest department for a status report and will be holding a meeting with PWD and the forest department to resolve all issues.As soon as PWD complies with the conditions, the permission for tree cutting will be granted,” said Khan.
The minister said that for future projects, the environment department was trying to work a system to make applications for tree cutting online. “Departments and individuals will be able to apply online and permission too, as far as possible, will also be made available online. This will make the procedure more transparent.” said Khan.
PWD had applied for permission to fell 319 trees for this project in the middle of 2014. Some months later, the forest department asked for the project to be broken up into phases and to re-apply for permission. PWD sent the second application in December 2014 by which time the high court has given PWD the go-ahead for the flyover.
However, the request is still pending with the forest department. Sources said that in an ongoing case on air pollution in the high court, amicus curie Kailash Vasudev recently submitted a report according to which one lakh trees have been cut over the past 10 years for Metro and PWD projects and commensurate compensatory plantation has not taken place.
The forest department has been asked to submit its reply to court and since then, the department has been weary of clearing tree cutting permissions. PWD’s application is, meanwhile, under consideration.