Delhi High Court issued notice to Centre, DDA & Delhi Government on a Plea Seeking directions to take steps to protect the Jahanpanah city forest and ensure that nature & character of the forest not destroyed.
The Division Bench presided by Chief Justice Rajender Menon & Justice Brijesh Sethi, acting upon the plea of the petitioner and said it’s a very serious issue and required attention of the concerned authorities. The Court directed the concerned authorities to file the status report with regard to the facts indicated in the writ petition. With regard to the action taken on the issue raised by the Forest Officer in his communication with the Deputy Conservator of Forest.
Courts direction came on a Plea taken in the writ petition by Advocate Amit Gupta who mentioned that proper demarcation of the entire area is required to stop illegal encroachment and further steps should be taken for afforestation.
The petitioner also sought proper water supply be made by way of tube well & rain water harvesting system & an effective mechanism should be adopted to check illegal cutting of trees and stop fire during the summer. He further sought directions to provide security inside and around the forest for the safety of the visitors, removal of illegal encroachment and garbage and repair of footpath, boundary walls & benches.
It’s alleged in the plea that residents around the forest are dumping garbage from across the boundary wall. Construction and demolition waste scattered around the forest can be seen easily.
Jahanpanah Forest in South Delhi is one of the last dense green patches in the Capital spread over 435 acres.
The matter now would be heard on 23 August 2019.
-India Legal Bureau