New Delhi, Nov 22 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Friday proposed setting up an expert committee and said it would direct that the permission granted for felling of trees in Delhi should not be implemented without the consent of the committee.

Referring to the depletion of forest cover in the national capital, the apex court observed that the expert committee would examine the permission granted by the tree authority and tree officers appointed under the Tree Act, 1994 preserving Delhi’s trees.

“We propose to constitute a committee of experts,” indicates the text.

The court was hearing a petition seeking to restrain the Delhi government from allowing felling of trees without the permission of the apex court.

“We want to know how the tree authority works,” the bench remarked at the outset.

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the tree authority, informed that an affidavit has been filed in the case.

The bench referred to section 7(b) of the 1994 Act which states that the tree authority shall be responsible for carrying out a census of existing trees and obtaining, whenever deemed necessary, declarations of all owners or occupants on the number of trees on their land. .

“Whether this activity has been undertaken?” This is the duty of the tree authority. This must be undertaken first,” the bench asked.

While one of the lawyers appearing in the case said such activity had not been carried out since 1994, another advocate said the tree census was essential and that drones and satellite imagery could be used for this.

“Now we need to look at how tree authority works. What is the procedure followed for grant of permission,” the court said.

Another question which the court wanted to consider in the light of the diminishing forest cover was whether an expert body could be constituted to examine the permission granted for felling of trees and without whose permission no one would cut down trees.

The court said a similar order had been passed for Bengaluru, where if the tree authority granted permission to fell trees, it approached a body of experts to look into the matter.

The hearing will be held on November 29 when the court is likely to consider the affidavit filed by the tree authority and issue directions for strict implementation of the provisions of the 1994 Act.

The petition, which said five trees were felled in Delhi every hour, also sought to restrain the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change from allowing diversion of forests in Delhi without the approval of the top court .

The apex court on Friday also entertained another petition, which raised a grievance that several trees had to be cut down for the construction of a foot overbridge.

The court agreed to hear the application and said the respondent authorities would ensure that no trees were felled for the purpose of constructing the foot overbridge.

He said the police station officer concerned would visit the site and check whether any tree had been felled or felling was in progress. PTI ABA AMK

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