New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the Public Works Department (PWD) to submit the details of its proposal to plant three lakh trees in the national Capital this year.
Justice Jasmeet Singh, who was hearing a case on plantation of trees, asked the department to file an affidavit indicating its plan of action for the next two months.
The PWD, represented by its lawyer and the special secretary, said bulk plantation of three lakh saplings,
including shrubs and trees, would be carried out after identifying the sites. It said contracts would be given for plantation and maintenance, and sought two months’ time for this purpose.
“How do shrubs help Delhi? You can have hanging gardens on every flyover (but) how does that help Delhi?” the court asked.
“PWD would file an affidavit indicating the number of trees to be planted in Delhi and the course of action, plantation done in two months and up-to-date photos,” the court ordered.
The court also asked the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to inform it about availability of land for planting an alternative forest.
During the hearing, the court also emphasised that the authority has to work towards preventing the trees already planted from withering away.
Counsel for the department said plantation done on the roadside faced numerous challenges such as the damage caused by traffic and lack of support from the local community.
“That is what municipal function is all about. There will be cows, there will be dogs. You have to protect it (plantations). There will be shopkeepers who will uproot it,” Justice Singh retorted.
Earlier this month, the court had said the PWD cannot express helplessness about the upkeep of the trees it has planted on the roadside.
Last year, the high court had directed plantation of at least 10,000 trees
in the city using over Rs 70 lakh deposited by defaulting litigants as costs in several matters.
The matter would be heard next on May 20.