NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Friday underscored the need to balance infrastructure development with greenery and asked authorities to come up with a “comprehensive plan” for transplantation or compensatory afforestation in relation to projects requiring tree felling.
Emphasising that efforts should be to “save something for the future generations”, Justice Jasmeet Singh said the court has “little confidence” in the “sensitivity” of the officials dealing with permissions to fell trees.
The court, which had earlier stayed felling of trees in the capital in view of the “total non-application of mind” by officials while granting permissions, asked the Delhi government counsel to file data with respect to transplantation of trees as it remarked that besides ensuring development, the city authorities also owe it to the citizens that all the transplanted trees flourish.
The Delhi government counsel assured the court that the tree officers have received due training to pass reasoned orders on applications for permission for tree felling by entities and informed that presently, several requests for such permission, including 14 from government bodies, are pending.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) also sought directions to allow a tree officer to examine its application to cut down 215 trees in relation to its fourth-phase project.
Advocate Aditya N Prasad, appearing in the court on behalf of the petitioner, said the DMRC is seeking to fell around 14,000 trees.
“This is not adversarial...We are only trying to strike a balance between development and greenery. Despite the rains, we are struggling with the AQI (air quality index),” the court said.