Failing To Protect Trees: Delhi HC Sentences 2 PWD Officers For Contempt

The Delhi High Court recently sentenced two Public Works Department (PWD) officials to jail for failing to comply with orders passed by the Court and the National Green Tribunal (NGT) regarding tree protection.

The High Court passed several orders directing the PWD and other authorities to use caution in all of their work to protect the trees and remove concrete around them.

A single-judge Justice Najmi Waziri stated that the officers had disobeyed judicial orders, and such refusal to obey the law cannot be excused.

“In the circumstances, respondent nos.2 and 3 are hereby sentenced under section 12 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, to undergo simple imprisonment for a period of four months and two months respectively, along with fine of Rs. 2000/- each,” the bench directed.

The order was passed in response to a contempt petition filed by the New Delhi Nature Society.

Appearing for the petitioner, Advocate Aditya N Prasad informed the bench that BSES Rajdhani’s laying of pipelines/cable lines on Bipin Chandra Marg and the Chittaranjan Park area had damaged the roots of several trees.

It was further contended that the authorities had violated the orders of the High Court and the NGT by doing so.

In the same case, Justice Waziri convicted the two officers – the Engineer-in-Chief and the Executive Engineer – of contempt in March, 2022.