Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud is leading a Supreme Court bench in a contempt of court case against the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) over illegal tree felling in the Delhi Ridge. The court has condemned the DDA for cutting 1,100 trees, violating a Delhi High Court ban from August 2023.
New Delhi: Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud is leading a bench to address a contempt of court case against the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) over the illegal felling of trees in the Delhi Ridge area. This case, which involves DDA Vice Chairman Subhasish Panda, has raised serious environmental concerns about the unauthorized destruction of trees in the southern Ridge region, a vital green space regarded as the “lungs” of Delhi.
The CJI, after taking over the case from other benches, made it clear that strict measures would be taken to hold accountable those responsible for the unauthorized tree cutting. The bench aims to ensure the protection of Delhi’s Ridge and prevent further violations of environmental laws. As part of this, the Supreme Court directed the DDA to provide a detailed explanation.
CJI Chandrachud emphasized,
“We will ask the chairperson of the DDA to file a personal affidavit explaining: 1. Was there any info on discussion regarding permission for cutting the trees, 2. When was he informed that permission is needed, 3. What steps were taken as remedial measures, and 4. What action was taken against erring officers since there was an order to preserve the pristine nature of the ridge.”
The Supreme Court has criticized the DDA for violating a ban imposed by the Delhi High Court in August 2023, which prohibited the felling of trees in the Ridge area. Despite this, 1,100 trees were illegally cut down, drawing widespread condemnation from both the court and environmental advocates. In addition to this violation, trees were removed from areas outside the Ridge without proper authorization, raising further concerns.
As a result, the Supreme Court ordered Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena to file a personal affidavit detailing the circumstances surrounding the illegal tree felling. The court sought clarity on whether disciplinary actions had been initiated against officials responsible and whether steps had been taken to rectify the situation.
The contempt case against Subhasish Panda revolves around the alleged felling of trees for a road-widening project near the Ridge. The bench, which includes Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, pointed out that the tree cutting began on February 16 without any prior application or court approval. The court also highlighted the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) report, which revealed that 222 trees were felled in a non-forest area where permission was required, and 523 trees were cut near the Ridge, where both Centre and court approvals were necessary.
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During the hearing, Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayan, representing the petitioner, argued that there had been attempts to conceal the truth. He suggested that the Lieutenant Governor may have ordered the tree felling. However, Senior Advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, representing VK Saxena, refuted these claims, stating that Saxena had visited the site on February 3 but did not issue any instructions to cut the trees.
The court, however, sought clarification on whether Saxena had been made aware that court permission was required to cut trees and asked,
“Where is the timber gone? 1,100 trees have been felled. When was the timber removed?”
The Supreme Court further demanded to know what measures had been taken to restore the ecological balance after the illegal felling. In response to the incident, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai announced the formation of a fact-finding committee in June to investigate the unauthorized cutting of 1,100 trees in South Delhi’s reserve forest.
The court emphasized that if the DDA Chairman deems it appropriate, disciplinary or criminal action should be initiated against those responsible without waiting for court instructions. The Supreme Court has given the Lt Governor until October 22 to take action, ahead of the next hearing.
This case highlights the importance of enforcing environmental laws and protecting Delhi’s green spaces, especially as the Ridge plays a crucial role in maintaining the city’s ecological balance.
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