Tree damaged? Go to Forest Department’s site to file Complaint

The forest and wildlife department will soon have a link on its website where people can lodge complaints on concretisation, illegal pruning or felling of trees.

Following an order from the High Court of Delhi in Sept 2020, the department has started the process of adding an option on its website for the convenience of locals to register complaints.

A Forest Officer said that “We are in touch with National Informatics Centre for this purpose. Though we had launched a helpline in Sept 2020, the link on the website will make it convenient for people to register complaints against damages done to trees".

Among the tree-related complaints include illegal felling or pruning, concretisation of tree or installing boards or nails on a tree.

The helpline, launched in Sept 2020, catered to complaints regarding tree felling & wildlife. Of the 377 complaints received on the helpline till Feb 10, 248 were related to tree offences, while 129 were regarding wildlife rescue.

An Official said that “The complaints, mostly received from locals, are about illegal felling or pruning of trees. As most people are not aware that concretisation of trees is prohibited, we hardly get complaints related to it. When the helpline was launched, many complaints were related to rescue of reptiles during the monsoon".

NGT had earlier ordered that no construction activity would be allowed to take place within one-metre radius of the trunk of trees. In another case of concretisation of a heritage tree in Chandni Chowk, Delhi HC had directed the forest department to make arrangements on its website where people could lodge complaints against concretisation, or other damages done to trees.

According to forest officials, when a tree-related complaint is lodged, it is transferred to the nodal officer of the area concerned. Following the complaint, a team of forest department inspects the site to check if illegal work has been carried out or not. The tree officer, thereafter, serves a notice to the accused individual or organisation for a hearing.

An Official explained that “If the allegation is proved true in the hearing, the accused is asked to plant additional saplings & environmental compensation is also levied. However, in complaints related to wildlife in distress, the forest team immediately visits the spot to rescue the animal".

Source Link