NEW DELHI: Delhi High Court on Monday sought the stand of several officials of the public works department (PWD) and Delhi Police on a plea seeking contempt proceedings against them for alleged damage to trees while carrying out construction activities in Rohini.
Justice Najmi Waziri issued notice to the PWD engineer-in-chief, executive engineers, secretary, deputy commissioner of police, local station house officer and the tree officer on a contempt petition by New Delhi Nature Society, which has claimed that there is wilful disobedience of judicial orders on the preservation of trees in the case.
The court noted that the photographs given by the petitioner showed concrete being poured on the roots of a tree and sought the stand of the officials. Advocate Aditya N Prasad, appearing for the petitioner, said that while carrying out “deep trenching activity” and “streetscaping” on KN Katju Marg in Rohini, the authorities had damaged and continued to damage standing trees.
Advocate Shadan Farast, appearing for the tree officer concerned, informed the court that the official had already imposed a fine on PWD for its failure to maintain the trees. In its plea, the society said court orders had mandated that some space had to be left around trees with no construction activity on it. “The work (in this case) involves deep trenching work within one-metre radius from the trees, which is in violation of the aforesaid judgment/orders and the provisions of Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994,” the petition stated.
“The damage to the roots of standing trees due to the continuation of the aforesaid activity at the aforesaid site is irretrievable and irreversible. That the contemnors/respondents cannot resile from following the judgement/orders. It is further submitted that the contemnor/respondent No. 1 (PWD official) has not complied with the judgment/orders despite being repeatedly informed of the violations,” it added.
The lawyer claimed that Delhi Police had also failed to take any action on its complaint regarding the same and the civil work was continuing in violation of the court orders. TNN
