The Delhi High Court recently issued notice on an application seeking permission for transplantation of 26 trees for the expansion project of Supreme Court premises [Bhavreen Kandhari Vs. Shri CD Singh And Ors]..Justice Jasmeet Singh issued the notice to the Delhi's Forest department on the application moved by Central Public Works Department (CPWD)'s Supreme Court Project Division -1. The application was argued by Advocate Sudhir Mishra.The Court asked the Amicus Curiae Satyakam to file a status report and listed the matter for hearing on January 31. The application has been moved with the authorization of the Supreme Court. .The trees are to be removed in relation to the execution of the project called ‘Expansion of Supreme Court Building for creating Additional Court Rooms including Constitutional Court, Chambers for Judges and facilities for Lawyers & Litigants'.The trees fall within the building line/excavation line and therefore need to be transplanted, as per the plea moved before the High Court.The CPWD had earlier sought permission from the Forest department, which asked it to first get an approval from the High Court which has been hearing a matter related to the green cover in the national capital.“As per the Hon’ble Delhi High Court's orders dated 31.08.2023 and 09.08.2024 undersigned cannot give tree felling/transplantation permission without Hon'ble Court’s prior approval. As per the said order any permission required for important projects will be intimated to the court,” the CPWD was told in response. .Accordingly, the application was moved before the High Court. The Court has been told that plantation of over 260 trees would be done as a compensation for the transplantation. “Needless to mention that in view of the 26 number of trees sought to be transplanted, compensatory plantation of 260+ trees have also been planned in the vicinity of the Supreme Court of India with focus on plantation of neem, jamun, peepal and arjun trees among others with atleast 3 meters space between each other and atleast 10 feet in height,” the application states. .The application has been drafted by advocates Sudhir Mishra, Ritwika Nanda and Petal Chandhok..[Read order]
