Supreme Court Condemns Delhi Government for Environmental Negligence

The Supreme Court criticized the Delhi government for insensitivity towards the environment over the unauthorized felling of 422 trees for road construction. The court mandated corrective actions, calling for a detailed report on the permissions granted for tree felling and the measures to prevent further environmental damage.

The Delhi government has come under stern criticism from the Supreme Court for its lack of sensitivity regarding environmental protection, particularly for permitting the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to cut down 422 trees in the Southern Ridge's reserve forest for a road project.

A bench comprising Justices Abhay S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan noted the tree officer's statement that no permission was granted for felling the trees, highlighting the illegal nature of the deforestation.

The court initiated suo motu contempt proceedings against the DDA vice chairman for supposedly cutting 1,100 trees. The bench demanded the Delhi government to submit an action plan to compensate for the environmental damage and prevent recurrence of such unauthorized actions.

(With inputs from agencies.)