Supreme Court Calls for Revised Green Cover Plan Budget

The Supreme Court has instructed the Forest Research Institute to reassess its budget for enhancing Delhi's green cover, suggesting some proposals are too costly. The Delhi government should release funds to begin Phase 1 immediately while addressing any queries. The timeline for phases should also be reconsidered.

The Supreme Court has issued a directive to the Forest Research Institute (FRI) in Dehradun to reassess the budget planned for increasing the green cover in the national capital. The court expressed concerns that some proposals may be excessively costly.

A bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan recommended that the FRI seek expertise from agencies like the National Informatics Centre to finalize a revised budget and submit it to the Delhi government within a month.

The Delhi government is urged to promptly release part of the funds stipulated in the budget to commence Phase 1. Moreover, definitions related to trees should align with those from the Forest Survey of India, and FRI is encouraged to expedite the timelines for all identified project phases.

(With inputs from agencies.)