SUPREME COURT ORDERED STATUS QUO ON FELLING OF TREES IN DELHI 'RIDGE' FOREST; ISSUED CONTEMPT NOTICES TO OFFICIALS

The Supreme Court in the case Bindu Kapurea v. Subhasish Panda And Connected Matters observed and has issued notices wherein the contempt proceedings are initiated against government officials for the rampant felling of trees in Delhi’s Ridge Forest area in violation of its previous orders in the case M.C. Mehta v. Union of India and Ors.

The court in the matter has also ordered for the maintenance of the status quo in the region.

The bench comprising of Justice AS Oka and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan in the case observed and has directed to maintain the status quo with regards to the Ridge Area and thus, the court stayed the said proceedings.

Further, the court issued the contempt notices against the Vice Chairman of Delhi Development Authorities, DDA, the Director General of the Central Public Works Department, CPWD, the Director General of Forest and the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Delhi.

The court ordered the alleged contemnors to be physically present before the Court on the next hearing of the matter.

The petitioner in the plea contended that the Ridge which is the only forest region left in the National Captial of Delhi has been subjected to the illegal felling of the trees by the Delhi Development Authorities, DDA to construct the 10.525 km long approach roads from the main Chattarpur Road to SAARC University, CAPFIMS and other establishments at Maidangarhi, Sayurpur and Satbari areas of Delhi.