Supreme Court: In a matter involving the alleged unlawful cutting of hundreds of trees by the Delhi Development Authority (‘DDA’) without the Court’s permission, following instructions from Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, a division bench of Abhay S. Oka and Augustine George Masih, JJ. criticized the Delhi Forest Department for its failure to inform the Court about steps being taken to improve the green cover in the national capital. The Court expressed concern over the lack of adequate action and announced its decision to appoint an external agency to propose necessary measures to enhance Delhi’s green cover.
The Court had previously directed, in June, that the Principal Secretary of the Forest Department convene a meeting with the three-member committee appointed to discuss measures for ensuring an adequate green cover in Delhi. However, the Court was informed that the committee had only recently met, and its report was not yet on record.
After being informed that no report had been filed by the Delhi government regarding the enhancement of green cover in the national capital, the Court proposed to appoint an external agency to recommend steps for improving Delhi’s green cover. The Court further requested the amicus curiae to propose the name of an appropriate agency for this task.
The matter will next be taken up on 18-12-2024.
Source: Press
