HC asks forest department to show where it planted trees

The Delhi High Court on Friday directed the city's forest department to show where it has planted trees after cutting down over 46,000 for the Delhi Metro project in the national capital.

A division bench of Justice B.D. Ahmed and Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva gave the direction after it was informed by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation that it had given about Rs.68 crore to the forest department as a compensation for planting trees to adjust for the 46,529 trees cut during its development projects here.

Amicus curiae Kailash Vasudev told the court that for Rs.68 crore, which was paid to the forest department for development of Phase I, II and II of Delhi Metro, over 5.18 lakh trees should have been planted.

The bench said the forest department should also inform about the revenue collected for giving permission to cut trees here in the last 10 years.

The court also directed the forest department to "submit the number of trees planted along with the ir location in lieu of the money received for giving permission to cut trees".

The bench also gave last and final opportunity to the Delhi government and other respondents to file affidavits within a week and posted the matter for further hearing on May 27.

On last hearing, the court was also informed that the Public Works Department had cut about 52,000 trees for various development activities including setting up new flyovers and roads.

The bench was hearing a PIL initiated by the court on its own motion, apart from a petition filed by advocate Sudhir Mishra seeking directions to the Centre to take immediate steps to control rising air pollution in Delhi.