NGT dismisses plea against redevelopment of Bijwasan railway station

New Delhi, Feb 19 (PTI) The National Green Tribunal has dismissed a petition claiming violation of environmental norms in redeveloping Bijwasan railway station in Dwarka area of the capital.

The NGT was hearing a plea alleging that the land parcel for which a Request for Proposal (RPF) was allowed by the authorities for the new Bijwasan railway station was unauthorised, and around 1,100 trees would be felled for the project.

According to Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation Ltd. (IRSDC), Bijwasan is an existing station on the Delhi-Rewari line of the Indian Railways network that is proposed to be redeveloped as a world-class station. It is also aimed at augmenting the number and capacity of terminal stations in the capital city.

A bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava noted the submissions of the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA), according to which the land was not in the category of ‘deemed forest’ and the amended Forest (Conservation) Act (FCA) had done away with the concept of deemed forests.

The union government had last year amended the FCA and exempted from its scope deemed forests (forests not officially recorded as forests in government records) and limited the need for prior central government’s sanction for any project involving clearing a forest land to land recorded as forests in government records.

The bench, also comprising judicial member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and expert member A Senthil Vel, noted an affidavit filed by the deputy conservator of forest concerned saying the land was not notified as forest.

In an order passed on February 13, the tribunal also noted RLDA’s “categorical statement” about following all laws during the execution of the project.

“We are of the view that adequate precautions have already been taken to prevent illegal felling of trees. Even otherwise, we make it clear that respondents during the implementation of the project, will not cut any tree illegally and will follow all the environmental norms, including compensatory plantation,” it said.

The tribunal said any activity would be carried out only after necessary approval and compliance with conditions imposed by the environmental authorities.

“We find no ground to interfere in this Original Application (OA), which is accordingly dismissed,” it said.