Supreme Court Intervention Sought to Halt Tree Felling in Delhi

A Supreme Court plea demands the Delhi government stop tree felling without court permission, citing breaches in established preservation laws. Five trees face danger every hour, the plea states, amidst concerns over inadequate forest protection and failure to meet national vegetation standards.

The Supreme Court is set to hear a plea aimed at halting the authorization of tree felling by the Delhi government without the court's consent. The application, expressing concern over the loss of approximately five trees every hour in Delhi, also seeks to restrict the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change from allowing forest diversion in the capital without Supreme Court approval.

During a hearing before a bench of Justices A S Oka and A G Masih, the court instructed the Delhi government and other involved parties to reply by November 22. The application has called for establishing an expert committee, possibly led by a retired judge from the Supreme Court or Delhi High Court, to evaluate Delhi's tree protection measures thoroughly.

The application draws attention to systemic violations of the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994, and emphasizes the limited action taken by the tree authority since its inception. It underscores the urgent need for preserving Delhi's green cover, which currently falls short of national policy mandates.

(With inputs from agencies.)