DDA urges HC to quash DCF's letter putting in abeyance permission to transplant 600+ trees

New Delhi: The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) Thursday urged the Delhi High Court to quash a letter from the Deputy Conservator of Forests putting in abeyance the permission granted for transplantation of over 600 trees for the construction of stormwater drain at Dwarka's sector-8 to cater to water discharge from the Indira Gandhi International Airport.

DDA said the project, costing Rs 88.56 crores, required permission from the Deputy Conservator of Forests (West Forest Division) of the Delhi government for the transplantation of 637 trees and felling of 56 others.

While the permission was earlier granted, it has now been arbitrarily put in abeyance through a June 29 letter of DCF, thereby stalling the progress of the public project indefinitely, DDA said, adding that as per the correspondence, the permission will only be granted after further orders of the high court in a contempt case in which permission for felling of trees has been restricted on April 28.

Justice Yashwant Varma noted that since another bench of the high court is closely monitoring the tree felling matter, the present petition be also listed before Justice Najmi Waziri on July 29, subject to the orders of the Chief Justice.

During the hearing, Justice Varma said, there is a complete ban, it does not give me any window to tinker .

Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain, representing DDA, said he was only seeking permission for transplantation of trees that are fully grown adult trees and even the site for transplantation has already been identified.

The counsel said a crucial and significant public project has been arbitrarily stalled.