Delhi HC denies permit to cut trees in the capital

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court ordered on Thursday, that no further trees are to be cut in the capital city. While hearing a contempt case, Justice Nazmi Waziri observed that over 29,000 trees in the city had been cut down in the previous three years and questioned whether Delhi has the “luxury” to afford this. “A total of 29,946 trees were allowed to be cut in the past three years, which on computation comes to 27 trees per day i.e. 1.13 per hour,” he said.

The court ruled that there is no record of the circumference and age of the trees that were allowed to be chopped, as well as the status of the corresponding tree transplantation, and that large-scale denudation of fully grown trees harms the environment. Therefore, the court concluded that there would be no more felling of trees until the next date. It is in the best interest of the people and environment that before approving cutting down of trees, the applicant can fully guarantee that those trees would be transplanted elsewhere.

According to the Central Zone’s Deputy Conservator of Forests’ status report, 13,490 trees were allowed to be chopped and 16,456 trees were directed to be transplanted in the years 2019, 2020, and 2021. Last month, the court voiced worry about the cutting down of fully grown trees, stating that rather than taking them down, it would be more rational and wise to transplant them. It emphasized that even nascent compensatory afforestation cannot bring true respite.