Eighteen years after bringing in the Enforcement of Tree Preservation Act in 1994 for the first time, the city government is planning to conduct a tree census for the national capital. A senior Delhi government official said that the government will conduct the tree census as soon as possible.
“The plan of conducting the tree census is ready and we are all set to for this,” said a senior Delhi government official.
However, the official said that the Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) of the national capital will be called to help as the city government does not have enough staff to conduct the tree census. “Some RWAs have been contacted and brochures containing the detailed plan of action have been distributed to them. Every plantation which is identified as a tree under the Enforcement of Tree Prevention Act 1994 will be counted and the numbers will be printed on the stems,” the official added.
According to the act, felling, removal or disposal of any tree or forest produce in any land whether in ownership or occupancy or otherwise except with the previous permission of the tree officer is an offence.