The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
100-yr-old trees cut down brutally with no application of mind, says Delhi HC
THE HIGH Court Thursday sought responses from three Delhi government officials in a contempt plea against them after permission was allegedly giventocutseveral100-year-old treesalongaroadinnorthdelhi.
Asingle-judgebenchofjustice Jasmeetsingh, afterperusingphotographs of the trees along ‘Lok Marg/om Mandir Marg’ which were part of the plea, said that it “showsashockingstateofaffairs” as“100-year-oldtrees” havebeen “brutally cut down without any applicationof mind.”
Whileissuingnotice, thehc, directed the respondents — Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Department of Forestsandwildlife, Treeofficer (North Forest Division) and Engineer-in-chief, Publicworks Department — to maintain a “status quo” with respect to transplanting or felling of trees along the stretch. The matter is next listed on January 15, 2024.
The HC was hearing a plea seeking initiation of contempt againsttherespondentsfornoncomplianceofitspreviousorders.
Appearing for the petitioner, advocateadityanprasadalleged thattherespondentswereinwilful disobedience of various HC orders, including one issued in Aprillastyear, wherethehchad saidthetreeofficerwillstatethe reason for granting or denying permission for cutting any tree.
Prasadreferredtoanotherhc order from November 2, 2022, where it was stated that orders for felling trees under Delhi Preservation of Trees Act will be uploadedwithin48hoursof being passed on the department website. Hecontendedthatthese wereheritagetreesplantedduringcolonialtimesfromkingsway Camp to the Coronation Pillar.
Thepleaalsoallegesthatearlier this month, the petitioner came across several trees along Lokmarg/ommandirmarg; they were “completely devoid of everythingbuttheirmaintrunk”. Onenquiringwithworkersatsite, itwaslearntthatthe“department of Forests & Wildlife had given permission to remove the trees, apparentlytowidentheroad”.