Delhi HC directs two cops to plant 100 trees after altercation with lawyer

Delhi High Court ordered two police officers to plant 100 fruit-bearing trees following an altercation with a lawyer over protecting trees from damage due to ongoing civil work by the state Public Works Department. The court also asked Delhi Police to sensitise its officials to protect trees and render prompt assistance to the state government?s tree officer. The officers were discharged from contempt proceedings but must carry out the plantation drive at Delhi Armed Police Parade Ground and ensure each tree has a minimum nursery life of three years and a height of at least 10 feet.

The Delhi high court has directed two police officers to plant 100 fruit-bearing trees after they got into an altercation with a lawyer over protecting trees from damage due to an ongoing civil work by the state Public Works Department (PWD).

Justice Najmi Waziri asked the officials to carry out the plantation drive at the Delhi Armed Police Parade Ground on Kingsway Camp. (HT Photo)

Justice Najmi Waziri, while hearing a contempt case against several officials for violation of orders on the conservation of trees, also asked the Delhi Police to sensitise its officials to protect trees, avoid such “undesirable altercations” and render prompt assistance to the state government’s tree officer under the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994.

While taking note of the sincere regrets expressed by the two personnel, justice Waziri discharged them from the contempt proceedings but asked the officials to carry out the plantation drive at the Delhi Armed Police Parade Ground on Kingsway Camp while ensuring that each tree has a minimum nursery life of three years and a height of at least 10 feet.

“In view of the above, let 100 fruit-bearing trees like pilkhan, jamun, amaltas, goolar, kathal, badh, banyan, kadamb, kala sirus, safed sirus, papri, maulsari, etc. be planted at the Delhi Armed Police Parade Ground, Kingsway Camp, Delhi by the said police officers,” said the court in an order passed on May 29.

Advocate Aditya N Prasad, the counsel for the petitioner New Delhi Nature Society, told the court that in February 2021, an altercation took place between him and the then station house officer (SHO) of Lodhi Colony police station and the then additional SHO of Ashok Vihar police station, when he told them that certain trees were to be protected by the police from damage due to the ongoing construction work at the site in south central Delhi’s Lodhi Colony.

The SHO concerned said it was assumed that since the PWD was carrying out the work, it must have been authorised.

“To obviate repeat of such undesirable altercations with lawyers and public-spirited citizens, Delhi Police shall circulate copies of this order to its entire network, right up to the beat constable level, so as to sensitise the police personnel of their duty to protect trees and to render prompt assistance to the tree officer under Section 20 of the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994,” the judge added.

Delhi government counsel said the officers have been cautioned by the deputy commissioner of police concerned and they have tendered their apology to the lawyer. He added that the police officers are duty bound to maintain law and order and there was no ill-intention on their behalf.

Senior advocate N Hariharan, the amicus curiae, said the matter may be closed in view of the apology but the police officials should be burdened with some social work, such as plantation of trees, as they caused some degree of unease to an advocate, who is an officer of the court, and much judicial time has been expended in the various hearings of this case.