NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday stressed upon the need for a census of trees in the national capital and said it wanted to create an authority to supervise the work carried out by a tree officer.
A two-judge bench of the apex court, led by Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Augustine George Masih, said the issue over the strict implementation of the provisions of the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994, required immediate attention.
The bench of the apex court passed these remarks after hearing an application seeking to restrain the Delhi government from allowing the felling of trees without the top court’s permission.
“Apart from tree census, that order we are going to pass, we also want to create an authority. That authority will verify whether the tree officer has done a proper job. Somebody has to supervise the permission granted,” the bench of the apex court said.
Praising lawyers appearing before it in matters related to the preservation of the environment and protection of trees, the apex court said the advocates were very cooperative, and they have always taken a fair stand before the court.
After hearing this, the Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati said, “We are grateful. Your lordships are doing it for our better future, our children’s better future.”
The bench asked the lawyers appearing in the matter to give suggestions on the basis of which the authority should be constituted. “We are of the opinion that not only individual experts are required, but an institution had to be involved in this process also,” it said.
“We always believe that in environment matters, harsh orders are warranted,” the bench noted.
Terming it as very important the issue concerning strict implementation of the provisions of the 1994 Act, the apex court, said, “To enable the counsel appearing for the parties to address us on the issue, we direct that the petition shall be listed on December 18.”
Last week, the apex court proposed to set up a committee of experts and said without the panel’s nod, the felling of trees in the national capital cannot take place.