File data of trees felled illegally in past 3 years: Delhi HC to forest dept

Justice Najmi Waziri took note of the data submitted by the forest department that more than 77,000 trees cut, at the rate of three per hour, is excluding those which have been felled “illegally”.

The Delhi high court on Monday asked the Delhi government’s forest department to furnish data of the trees felled illegally and without permission in the last three years.

Delhi high court . (photo:pradeep gaur/mint)

Justice Najmi Waziri took note of the data submitted by the forest department that more than 77,000 trees cut, at the rate of three per hour, is excluding those which have been felled “illegally”. Appearing for the petitioner, counsel Aditya N Prasad told the court that if the instances of illegal tree felling, trees cut down for forest clearance, unnoticed felling of trees, and those lost to the storm, which are not accounted for in the affidavit are considered, the figures may be twice or four times the current number of over 77,000.

He also informed the court that as per a “green census” carried out in a certain area in the city, 77 trees were found to be missing and the figure rose to 177 missing after verification by the authorities.

The court said the city cannot afford to lose 77,000 trees and asked the department to disclose the data on the trees cut without permission. “... in 2019, 2020, 2021, 77,420 trees were permitted to be cut down. This comes to about three trees per hour in the past three years. These figures are only for trees which were allowed to be felled under section 9, 29 of Delhi Trees Preservation Act…Let the forest department file an affidavit on the missing data …as well as its response to the figure of three trees being lost every hour,” said the court in its order.