NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday held the DDA officials guilty of contempt of the court for tree felling in the capital's Ridge area for widening a road there.
The court ordered extensive afforestation, in order to compensate for the loss and for remedial measures.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh, however, noted that there was no malafide intent on the part of DDA.
"Illegal felling of trees in southern ridge of Delhi by DDA to widen road for a super speciality hospital for paramilitary forces, who suffer grave injuries in service of the country, is contempt but there is no mala fide intent on their part," the bench said.
In its judgment, the bench said that the case depicted gross contempt in which the Lieutenant Governor was also made as one of the contemnors respondent by the petitioners who had alleged illegal felling of trees.
Although the court held DDA officials guilty of contempt of court, but it did not sentence any official, since the intention was for a good cause.
The court, however, made it clear that the DDA has to undertake extensive afforestation.
It ordered each DDA official, except DDA chairperson and vice-chairperson, responsible for felling of trees without prior permission of the apex court to deposit a fine of Rs 25,000 each.
The bench also asked the DDA to levy a suitable fee on the residents in the area residing there, who will enjoy the widened road.
The bench said, a court-constituted three-member committee would commence the afforestation exercise by framing a plan.
"The DDA and Delhi government also have to implement the comprehensive measures suggested by the committee to enhance green cover of Delhi," it said.
The judgment came on a contempt plea alleging violation of the 1996 and March 4, 2024, orders banning on tree felling and deliberate non-compliance of orders on the part of the Delhi LG and IAS officer Subhasish Panda as DDA chairman and vice-chairman respectively.
The court was apprised by the petitioner that over 1,100 trees were felled in the ridge forest for the road widening project.
