Green cover in city on paper is different from reality: HC

The Delhi high court on Wednesday asked the city government to give details of the actual forest area in the Capital, observing that the extent of green <g data-gr-id="18">cover as shown on paper</g> is “not the true picture”.

A Bench of justices Badar <g data-gr-id="19">Durrez</g> Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva also asked the Delhi government what it was doing to maintain the current green cover as well as to increase it to 30 <g data-gr-id="20">per cent</g> as required under the master plan 2021.

The court also observed that a major polluter in the city was particulate matter from building material and ‘malba’ (rubble) that is left lying around, adding that increase in green area would result in less dust flying around and more rains.

The Bench made the observation after the Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, present in court pursuant to its order, said as per forest department records Delhi has green cover of 20.8 <g data-gr-id="26">per cent</g> which was commendable as the city was the third greenest Capital in the country. 

However, he admitted that the forest areas were being encroached and also said that till the boundaries of such land are not finally demarcated it would be difficult to take any action. The official and the city government counsel, however, differed on whether an increase in <g data-gr-id="22">number</g> of trees would result in a proportional reduction in air pollution.