NEW DELHI: The high court has asked the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) and the Delhi Police to ensure sensitisation and training of officers and personnel to ensure protection of trees. The court has directed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and police to file a reply within two weeks. The direction comes after a writ petition was filed in court by a petitioner stating that 50 grown trees were cut down at a Vasant Kunj farm house without taking permission from tree officer and a large-scale construction took place in the area.
According to the petitioner’s counsel KC Mittal, the land is owned by a private entity in south Delhi’s Vasant kunj who destroyed 50 trees. Post this, the owner started selling the plots and building a colony.
Following this a complaint was filed with the authorities by Pratap Singh Parmar, a resident in the neighbouring area. “This rampant cutting of fully grown trees and large scale construction being carried out, could not have escaped the attention of the police as well as the concerned authorities,” said the court while issuing a notice for reply.
The court brought up a related manner where it had directed GNCTD to conduct workshops to sensitise the police to preserve trees. However, only about 20 police officers attended the second workshop. “Surely, that would not be sufficient for the 164 police stations in Delhi,” the court stated.