SC finds DDA in contempt and orders extensive afforestation

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday found Delhi Development Authority (DDA) officials guilty of contempt for felling trees in Delhi’s Ridge area to widen a road, in violation of earlier court orders. The court, however, said the act stemmed from “administrative misjudgement” rather than malafide intent.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on the officials but spared DDA chairman and Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, and vice-chairman Subhasish Panda, against whom the contempt plea had been filed.

The court noted that approximately 1,100 trees were felled in February 2024 to widen the approach road to the CAPFIMS Hospital, even though the DDA’s request to do so had been rejected on March 4 for being “very vague.”

It directed the DDA to implement an extensive afforestation plan and imposed a one-time levy on affluent residents in the Ridge area who benefited from the road widening.

A three-member committee has been constituted to oversee the afforestation effort and ensure dense tree cover on both sides of the approach road.

The court had earlier issued a contempt notice to Panda and sought an affidavit from the LG on action taken against those responsible for the unauthorised tree felling.