'Complete lack of interest': SC pulls up Delhi govt over response on enhancing green cover

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday pulled up the Delhi government's forest department for not apprising it of any comprehensive measures taken by it to enhance the green cover of the national capital, saying it has shown a "complete lack of interest" and "lacklustre" approach.

The top court said, "Judges come and go. It is not for the benefit of judges but for the national capital territory of Delhi."

A bench of Justices AS Oka and Augustine George Masih directed the principal secretary of the forest department to be present on October 18 through virtual mode and asked him to file a personal affidavit to explain why information was not placed on record on steps taken and to be taken for enhancing the green cover of Delhi by October 15.

"The Delhi government has claimed that it filed a compliance report in the contempt petition which has been transferred from this bench to another bench. Apart from this approach of the Delhi government, the status report dated September 21 shows a complete lack of interest by the principal secretary of the forest department," the bench said.

The top court also expressed displeasure over the statement of advocate Chirag Shroff appearing for the Delhi government that it has filed the compliance report in a contempt matter, which is pending before another bench of the apex court.

"Either there is a complete lack of knowledge or somebody else wants that this court should not hear this matter. There is something else in your approach obviously.

"You filed compliance in the contempt petition but not this. What is this going on? This is a complete lacklustre approach. Your secretary is not interested in filing the compliance report…," the bench said.

The top court was hearing a plea seeking directions to authorities for enhancing tree cover in the NCT of Delhi.

On June 26, the top court had taken serious note of the "illegal and high-handed acts of felling of trees" brought to its notice through a contempt petition filed against the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) Chairperson.

It had castigated the DDA for not providing information regarding the visit of Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena to the Ridge area where 1,100 trees were cut and said it was protecting higher-ups and blaming subordinate officers.

The contempt petition was later transferred to a Chief Justice DY Chandrachud-led bench, where it is currently pending.

On Monday, the bench asked Shroff what has been the progress in the matter in terms of the June 26 order, where the secretary of the forest department was directed to convene a meeting of the responsible officers of the department concerned in the presence of the committee of three experts to discuss the comprehensive measures to be taken to enhance the green cover of the NCT of Delhi.

Shroff said they have filed the report in the pending matter related to the contempt petition, listed before another bench.

The bench said, "The June 26 order was passed in this matter and you filed compliance in another matter before another bench. We are warning you, don't take advantage of the contempt petition being transferred." Senior advocate Guru Krishnakumar, who has been appointed amicus curiae in the matter, said they held a meeting in July and he along with senior advocate Anita Shenoy made some suggestions on enhancing green cover.

Krishnakumar submitted that there was no response available from the forest department on their suggestions which include soil testing, tree species mapping, identification of native and indigenous tree species and tree audit.

The bench said, "We fail to understand such a lackadaisical approach on the part of the secretary of the forest department and others. We direct the secretary of the forest department to file a personal affidavit recording compliance with the order of this court passed on June 26, 2024, and subsequent orders."

Observing that there is nothing on record to show what steps have been taken in the past three months and what was the status of the working plan of the forest department, the bench said it appears that authorities are not at all serious and they are only holding meetings and adopting a very "casual approach" on the issue.

The bench asked Krishnakumar and Shenoy to file their suggestions in the court and said it would pass appropriate orders.