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Synopsis

While observing that trees serve as "carbon sump” by absorbing pollution which plagues the city all year round, the Delhi High Court recently directed plantation of 10,000 trees across the national capital by utilising over Rs 70 lakh deposited by defaulting litigants as costs in several matters.

The bench of Justice Najmi Waziri said that such money that is deposited in court is to be utilised for the larger public good. Court appointed four lawyers as court commissioners to identify the sites for the drive, preferably public roads.      

The judge observed that trees would incessantly and silently provide multiple benefits to the city and generations of its residents for as long as they are alive as not only would they “serve as carbon sump” to absorb pollution which “plagues the city all year round” but also lend beauty and grace.

The court was informed that more than Rs 70 lakh had already been deposited to the bank account of the Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) of the Delhi government, subsequent to the order passed by the court on May 24. 

“Over Rs 70 lakh are to be transferred into the bank account of the Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF), GNCTD... Let the said monies be utilised by the DCF, with the assistance of PWD, GNCTD to plant trees in such areas as may be identified by Shadan Farasat, Avishkar Singhvi, Tushar Sannu, Aditya N Prasad. They shall each have at least 2,500 trees planted. They are hereby appointed as Court Commissioners,” the court said in its order dated May 29.

The single-judge bench stated that community participation to the extent plausible in the plantation and maintenance of the trees shall be encouraged. “Signboards shall be put-up at prominent places to inform the public that the plantation has been carried-out under the directions of the Delhi High Court. The land-owning agency shall plant them under supervision of the Tree Officer/DCF, GNCTD. They shall file their report along with photographs”, the court added.

“In case of any attrition of the trees or any damage to them, the land-owning agency shall promptly remedy the situation with the advice of the Tree Officer and keep the learned court commissioners informed with photographs,” the court said.

The court sought a status report with photographs by the Tree Officer/DCP every six months. Accordingly, the court listed the matter for perusal of the first status report on July 7.

Case Title: New India Assurance Co. Ltd. V. Himanshu Sharma & Ors.