The Hindu : New Delhi News : NGO locks horns with school over cutting tree

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NGO locks horns with school over cutting tree

Staff Reporter

Complaint registered with Public Grievance Cell
School ready to plant 100 trees for neem tree

NEW DELHI: A non-government organisation, Balprada, is at loggerheads with a private school, Gitaratan Jindal School in Sector 7 of Rohini, over the issue of cutting of a neem tree.

“Balprada had planted about 30 neem and pipal trees on both sides of the main road at Madhuban Chowk from the school to Rohini (West) Metro railway station. We have come across several cases where trees by the roadside are damaged by commercial establishments on the ground that sign boards of establishments would not be visible once the trees are fully grown. We have been trying to ensure that the trees we plant are allowed to grow and contribute to improving the green cover in the residential complex,” said Balprada secretary Madhusudan Sharma.

“The administration of the school is determined to cut the neem tree by the roadside in front of the school. The administration had removed the hedging and tree guard earlier on several occasions. We installed the tree guard again. On June 7 the school gardener started cutting the main trunk of the tree. He was stopped by our plant caretaker and later a police complaint was lodged,” informed Mr. Sharma.

The NGO said it had registered a complaint with the Public Grievance Cell of the Delhi Government requesting action against the school in case it goes ahead with cutting the tree.

Replying to the allegations, Gitaratan Jindal School chairman N.C. Jindal said: “We had planted some plants next to the schools boundary wall when this non-government organisation as part of its tree plantation drive planted this neem tree here. This is a service road and when the tree becomes fully grown it will create hindrance for smooth flow of traffic here. We are committed to green Delhi and have said we will plant 100 trees in place of the neem tree.”

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