Delhi High Court Asks Civic Authorities About Status Of Deconcretizating Trees In National Capital

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed the city’s civic authorities, including the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), to submit a time-frame within which the process of removal of concrete around the trees in the national capital will be completed.

Justice Jasmeet Singh directed the authorities to file an affidavit indicating the total number of trees which have been concretized, which have now been deconcretized and those which remain to be deconcretized.

“The affidavit shall also indicate as to why the balance number of trees have not been deconcretized and the time frame within which the same shall be done,” the court said.

Justice Singh was hearing a plea moved through Advocate Aditya N Prasad for preservation of trees in the national capital.

The court asked the authorities to file the affidavit within two weeks which shall be verified within four weeks thereafter and listed the matter for hearing next on January 29.

The plea highlighted the inaction of the authorities over concretization of trees in city's Vasant Vihar area.

Earlier, the Court had pulled up the South Delhi Municipal Corporation over the issue observing that concretization of trees amounts to worst kind of human rights abuse for the reason that it changes the whole environment of people.

It had also emphasized on the need for tree-lined avenues and footpaths, the Court had observed that the constitutional guarantee of citizens' freedom of movement as enshrined in the Constitution should not be hemmed in by the lack of civic amenities.