New Delhi
The Delhi High Court has issued a contempt of court notice to the Deputy Conservator of Forest (DCF), South Division, for authorizing the felling and transplantation of trees at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus, defying a previous court order.
Justice Jasmeet Singh observed that although the matter was addressed on May 3, the Delhi Forest Department failed to inform the court about the permission granted for cutting down two trees and transplanting 132 others.
This action contradicts a 2022 directive requiring tree officers to provide detailed reasons for felling any tree. Allegations suggest these guidelines were ignored, with permissions granted 22 times between May and August 2022.
On August 31, 2023, the Delhi government assured the court that no permissions for tree felling would be granted until the next hearing, except for critical projects, which would need to be reported to the court.
However, during a recent hearing, the court noted unauthorized tree felling and transplantation on April 29 for a construction project at the Institute of Secretariat Training and Management (ISTM), Old JNU Campus.
The Forest Division had filed, and later withdrawn, an application seeking clarification on whether permissions should be merely intimated or submitted for court approval. This application was supported by an affidavit from the DCF, South Division.
