DELHI HC DIRECTED TO ENSURE THAT A 60-YEAR-OLD TREE IS NOT HARMED

The Delhi High Court recently ordered the Deputy Conservator of Forest, Delhi Police, and the North Delhi Municipal Corporation to assure that the 60-year-old Peepal tree at Inderpuri in Delhi is not cut in any manner till the next date of hearing of the case. The bench of Justice Rekha Palli passed the order after Senior Advocate N Hariharan approached the bench with a handwritten one-page letter petition, stating that the tree was being illegally cut and sought urgent interim relief.

Hariharan received a phone call at around 3.30 pm amid his court appearances that Corporation/Forest Department people were removing the Peepal tree next to his house at Inderpuri. 

Advocate Abhinav S Aggarwal, appearing for NDMC, argued that an order was passed by the Office of Deputy Conservator of Forest, allowing the relocation of the tree. Advocate Gautam Narayan, appearing on behalf of the Delhi Police and the Office of Deputy Conservator of Forest, along with Adv Aggarwal, informed the court that they were not in a position to inform the court about the details of the order.

The court observed that irreparable harm would be caused if the tree is permitted to be cut without considering the petitioner's plea alleging that any valid and reasonable order does not back the act of cutting. Therefore, the parties were directed to ensure that the said tree was not harmed till the next hearing.

Author: Papiha Ghoshal