A quiet residential neighborhood in Dwarka’s Sector 5 was jolted earlier this week when residents noticed a patch of greenery suddenly missing. On Tuesday, a resident of Himachal Apartments spotted that several trees had been chopped down on a nearby plot of land, raising alarm and concern among locals.
A Morning Walk Turns into a Call for Action
The next morning, while out on a walk with his dog, 38-year-old Chetan Sharma saw a bulldozer clearing the area further. Alarmed, he immediately alerted the Delhi Forest and Wildlife Department and the local police.
“I called the helpline and reported what I saw. To their credit, the officials reached within half an hour and promptly contacted senior officers from the Central Public Works Department (CPWD),” Sharma recounted.
Who Owns the Land?
According to a forest official familiar with the case, the land in question belongs to the National Institute of Immunology. The tree cutting was reportedly linked to a construction project for a new government building.
Investigation Underway
The Delhi Forest Department has since stationed personnel overnight to monitor the site and prevent any further activity. A formal investigation is now underway. A senior official confirmed that a case has been registered under the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994 (DPTA).
Authorities are now working to determine whether the tree felling was legally approved and whether environmental norms were followed.
As urban expansion continues to encroach upon green spaces, incidents like this raise pressing questions about environmental accountability and the need for community vigilance.
