SC to hear issue of tree felling in Delhi’s Ridge area
New Delhi: Supreme Court (SC) will hear the issue of tree felling in Delhi’s Ridge area where a suo moto notice of criminal contempt was issued to the Vice Chairperson of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).
As per the causelist published on the website of the apex court, a special vacation bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan will hear the matter on June 24.
In the previous hearing, the top court had asked the DDA Vice Chairperson why he should not be prosecuted for criminal contempt of court for wilful breach of its orders prohibiting the felling of trees.
“We are not prepared to believe that the contractor entrusted with the work of widening the road has indulged in cutting trees of his own volition. Obviously, it has to be on the basis of the instructions from the officers of the DDA,” it had said.
Further, the Supreme Court had said that the DDA Vice Chairperson misled the Lt Governor, who is the ex-officio Chairperson, by forwarding a proposal to set up a committee of experts to minimise the trees felled.
“We hope and trust that the Hon’ble Lt. Governor will take this issue very seriously, not only in his capacity as the Lt. Governor of Delhi but also in his capacity as the Chairman of the DDA,” it had added.
The top court was of the view that apart from the statutory requirement of compulsory afforestation, 100 new trees per every tree felled must be planted by the DDA.
It was dealing with contempt pleas alleging that a large number of trees in the ridge had been felled there by the DDA to construct an approach road between the Chhattarpur Road and the SAARC University near Maidan Garhi.
In an earlier order, the SC had said that other areas having morphological ridges were required to be protected and no permission for construction should be given there.
