HC asks SC committee to look into plea for shifting Metro corridor underground
The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) was set up by the Supreme Court to look into environmental issues arising out of the Phase IV of the Metro construction.
The Delhi High Court on Thursday asked a committee of the Supreme Court to consider a representation for changing Phase IV of Metro expansion project from overground to underground to prevent cutting of over 11,000 trees.
The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) was set up by the Supreme Court to look into environmental issues arising out of the Phase IV of the Metro construction.
Justice Prathiba M Singh declined to entertain a petition by Dr P C Prasad and advocate Aditya N Prasad who had contended that felling over 11,000 trees for the project would have an adverse effect on the ambient air quality of the national capital where pollution is at “critical” levels. The court said that the matter was in the domain of the Supreme Court and CEC and therefore, the petitioners — a doctor and a lawyer — have to first approach the committee.
The court declined to hear the matter after the lawyer for Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said it had filed an application in the Apex court regarding the objections towards its expansion and the top court on February 2 had directed the CEC to look into it and file a report within four weeks.
The DMRC lawyer said that the CEC has fixed a meeting on Thursday at 3.00 pm and the petitioners can join the same. In view of the submission made by DMRC, the court said it will not entertain the petition at this stage but directed CEC to consider the representation of the petitioners.
The petition had claimed that the Phase-IV expansion of the Metro, which involves three corridors -- Delhi Aero city to Tughlakabad, RK Ashram to Janakpuri West and Maujpur to Mukundpur -- was being constructed on “deemed forest land” for which no forest clearance has been obtained.
The plea had also claimed that cutting trees in such huge numbers “will cause irreparable damage and harm to the environment as well as health of the residents of New Delhi”.