Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has approved the translocation of 252 trees and felling of 15 trees for the proposed academic buildings at the north campus of the Delhi University.

In lieu of these 267 trees, in addition to the translocation, 2,670 saplings will be taken up for compensatory plantation by the university, the LG office said on Thursday.

The compensatory plantation cost of approximately Rs 1,57,89,000 will be deposited in advance by the university, it said.

The earmarked area involving 4.88 hectares would be utilised for construction of Inter-Disciplinary Academic and Research Building of Eminence inside the DSE Campus, Academic Building for faculty of Technology (a faculty that DU does not have after the erstwhile DCE and NSIT becoming independent universities in themselves), Library Building that will expand the existing Central Reference Library and an integrated Computer Centre, that had been hitherto missing. The entire cost of this project, exceeding Rs 900 crore will be borne by the Government of India.

Saxena noted that a joint inspection of the project site, as per laid down norms, was carried out by officials of Forest Department with officials of the varsity, the LG office said.

It was also informed that the project area site was not falling in a Morphological Ridge Area and under the definition of deemed forest, it said.

The approval of LG for transplantation and translocation of 267 trees was required under the provisions of the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994, it added.

Section 9(3) of Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994 empowers the Tree Officer to take a decision with regard to permission for felling and transplantation of trees. However, it also restricts the area of 01 hectare at a time for which he may grant permission.

Further, Section 29 empowers the government to exempt in public interest any area or species of trees from all or any of the provisions of this Act.

The LG office further said as the instant project covers an area of more than one hectare, therefore the department sought approval from the Government and the LG for exemption under Section 29.