The Supreme Court directed the Delhi government and civic agencies on Wednesday to convene a meeting and discuss comprehensive measures to enhance the city’s green cover, noting public concerns over the loss of tree cover.
Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan emphasized the need for the forest department and tree authority to monitor and prevent illegal tree damage in Delhi. They issued notices to the Government of Delhi, Forest and Environment Department, Tree Authority, MCD, and DDA, considering reports of illegal and extensive tree felling.
Enhancing Delhi’s Green Cover
The Secretary of the Forest Department has been assigned the task of convening a meeting involving all relevant officers and the expert committee to discuss comprehensive measures to enhance Delhi’s green cover, the bench added.
It further emphasized that the significant acts of tree felling in the capital cannot be overlooked and requested a clear statement from the DDA Vice Chairman regarding unauthorized tree cutting in the Ridge area allegedly instructed by the lieutenant governor.
Contempt Notice Against DDA Vice Chairman
Previously, the top court had issued a criminal contempt notice against DDA Vice Chairman Subhasish Panda for allowing extensive tree felling in the Satbari area to construct a road from Chhattarpur to South Asian University. The court also criticized Panda for submitting a ‘misleading’ affidavit and providing inaccurate information to the court, ordering the plantation of 100 trees for each tree felled by the DDA.
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