Amanatullah raises issue of ‘uprooting of old tree’ in NFC during anti-encroachment drive, wants action

Amanatullah raises issue of ‘uprooting of old tree’ in NFC during anti-encroachment drive, wants action

A day after Shaheen Bagh anti-encroachment drive in which the bulldozer returned without taking any action, the issue of uprooting of a tree in New Friends’ Colony on Tuesday during a demolition drive has taken a centre stage with Okhla MLA Amanatullah Khan raising the issue.

Khan wrote to the local police demanding registration of case against the two and unknown officials of the civic body, reported the TOI.

“When the officials did not find any kind of encroachment, then out of frustration, they uprooted a very old tree, which is against the norms of demolition drive and it is in contravention of the Forest Act and Delhi Preservation of Trees Act 1994,” Khan said in his complaint.

Kapoor said Khan’s letter to the police was “childish”, reported the TOI. “Everybody knows that large-scale encroachments have been done by Bangladeshis, Rohingyas and some locals at the behest of the MLA and for the past two days, he is frustrated over the anti-encroachment drive,” Kapoor said.

On Wednesday in a statement to the media, the SDMC said: “During South Delhi Municipal Corporation’s anti-encroachment drive in New Friends Colony on Tuesday (April 10, 2022), a tree had got uprooted unintentionally. Information in this regard was given to the Deputy Conservator of Forests vide letter dated 10/05/2022 where in SDMC has assured the Forest Department to undertake ‘compensatory afforestation of 10 Nos. of trees’ in lieu of the uprooted tree or take measures as directed by the Forest Department.”

After Monday incident, an FIR was filed against MLA Khan for obstructing Shaheen Bagh demolition drive. “Based on the complaint received from SDMC, an FIR has been registered against Aamanatullah Khan and his supporters under sections 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Esha Pandey.