Coming down heavily on the Public Works Department over its alleged failure to preserve 400 trees, the Delhi High Court has directed PWD to file an affidavit indicating the total plantation that it will do in two months
The Public Works Department (PWD) must comply with an order regarding the planting of trees and protect them, the Delhi high court remarked on Tuesday, while asking the authority to file an affidavit indicating the total plantation that it will do in two months.
The order was passed by the single-judge Bench of Justice Jasmeet Singh on Tuesday on a petition related to the plantation of trees in the city from funds in the Green Delhi Account.
The Bench observed that Delhi was a metropolitan city. Everyone wanted to repose its faith in PWD, but 400 trees had withered away. Despite hostility, the authority has to comply.
It asked the department to take whatever action was possible, including putting up a cement grill or a barbed wire, in order to protect the trees.
PWD was further directed to take steps to prevent the trees being damaged by the cattle and cars.
Appearing for PWD, Advocate Sameer Vashisht contended that though PWD could only plant 772 trees between July and November 2023, it was aiming to plant 300,000 saplings in 2024.
He further submitted that PWD could not plant trees due to limited space and infrastructure, as designated planting areas on the sides of roads were constrained by underground utilities such as drains, sewers, electricity lines, IGL lines, communication lines, and water supply lines.
The Counsel requested the High Court to grant the authority two months to identify the areas where it could carry out the plantation and look after them.
The PWD Special Secretary, who appeared virtually, agreed that though the mortality of trees was quite high last year, the civic authority had this year issued contracts for the plantation and maintenance of trees for a period of three years.
The Bench further asked the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to identify large areas of land available in Delhi for plantation of an alternate forest in the Capital.
Earlier last week, the High Court had pulled up PWD for its failure to preserve 400 trees, saying the department cannot express helplessness towards protecting the trees planted by it alongside the road.
Last year, the High Court had directed the authorities to plant 10,000 trees across the Capital by utilising Rs 70 lakh that was deposited in court as costs imposed on defaulting parties in different cases.