New Delhi, Dec 30 (PTI) The Delhi government has notified the Tree Transplantation Policy under which agencies will have to transplant a minimum of 80 per cent of the trees affected by their development works.
The Delhi Cabinet had approved the policy on October 9.
Ten saplings will be planted for each tree transplanted or felled and the Department of Forests and Wildlife will keep a detailed and up-to-date record of applications approved for tree felling under the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994 on its website, according to the policy notified on December 24.
Invasive exotic tree species such as Leucaena Leucocephala, Eucalyptus Globulus and Prosopis Juliflora (Vilayati kikar) will not be considered for transplantation and will be excluded, the policy document said.
The applicant will have to select one of the empanelled technical agencies for carrying out tree transplantation work. The agency will have to ensure that all trees transplanted are geo-tagged, the policy stated.
"The responsibility of the technical agency will be limited to one year of the completion of tree transplantation to a new site, it said.
It will have to submit a survival assessment report at the end of one year along with a completion certificate signed by the Tree Officer at the receptor site.
The benchmark tree survival rate at the end of one year of tree transplantation is 80 per cent. The final payment of the technical agency will be linked to the tree survival rate achieved with a provision for a penalty for tree survival rate below the benchmark rate, the gazette notification read.
For each transplanted tree that does not survive, five trees of indigenous species with 15 feet height and at least six inch diameter will have to be planted.
In projects where 100 or more trees have been transplanted, a social audit will be carried out at the end of one year of tree transplantation to establish the tree survival rate and the completion certificate will be signed by the Tree Officer.
A dedicated Tree Transplantation Cell will be established in the forest department to facilitate tree transplantation. The Tree Authority of Delhi will be the apex body responsible for regular monitoring of the implementation of the prescribed procedure for tree transplantation.
