No permission will be granted to chop down trees for construction of houses: Delhi HC

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court, hearing a contempt plea, on Thursday said that no permission shall be granted to anyone by the authorities here for felling of trees for construction of houses.

A single-judge bench of Justice Jasmeet Singh was dealing with petition by Bhavreen Kandhari, who has sought action against government officers who, despite a clear directive from the court in an April 2022 order, were allegedly not adhering to the requirement of providing reasons for tree felling.

The judge said that the interim order dated August 31 shall continue till October 6.

The interim order had recorded that Delhi government will not grant permission for the felling of trees in the national capital until September 14.

Justice Singh granted the Delhi government two weeks to file a detailed response on the status of transplanted and replanted trees in Delhi, and that if the process was successful.

"... directions contained in the August 31 order shall continue. No permission shall be granted for felling of trees in respect of construction of houses,” the judge said.

Kandhari has expressed concern that authorities were recklessly granting permission for the felling of trees, which prompted the early hearing of the contempt plea.

Advocate Dhairya Gupta, representing the Delhi government, had, on August 31, informed the court that no permission for felling of trees for any individuals will be granted until the next date of hearing, and any required permissions for important projects would be intimated to the court.