Delhi will turn into a barren desert if apathy towards deforestation continues: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court recently observed that if the present generation continues to have an apathetic view on deforestation in Delhi, the city may turn into a barren desert [Neeraj Sharma v Union of India]..Justice Tushar Rao Gedela also noted that the temperature in Delhi had recently touched 52.3 degrees Celsius.“Judicial notice is taken of the fact that as recent as on 30.05.2024, the official temperature recorded in Delhi was 52.3 degree Celsius. It is not far to see the day when this City may be only a barren dessert, in case the present generation continues an apathetic view on the deforestation. Having said that, the aforesaid directions to be complied with in strict timelines,” the Court said..The Court made the observation while dealing with a bunch of petitions concerning protection and management of forests in Delhi.In April 2024, the High Court while hearing the same batch of matters had appointed former judge Justice Najmi Waziri as the head of an internal departmental committee tasked with the protection of forests in the national capital..On May 31, the High Court was informed that the infrastructure, secretarial support staff and transportation is yet to be provided for Justice Waziri to discharge his responsibilities.The Court ordered the government to ensure that all requirements of the chairperson and the committee be met by July 29 when the Court will consider the case next.The Court also renamed the committee as Special Empowered Committee.“Another reason for renaming would be that the name “Internal Departmental Committee” gives a picture as if the Committee and the learned Chairperson is within the Department’s purview, whereas it actually is not. This Court is clear in its mind that the “Special Empowered Committee” is a Committee which has independent reference powers as conferred on it and will discharge its responsibilities accordingly,” the Court said. It further ordered the officers of the Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Land and Development Office, Central Public Works Department, and Delhi Cantonment Board to attend the meetings of the committee..Advocate Aditya N Prasad appeared for petitioner Neeraj in the case. Advocates Gautam Narayan, and Prabhsahay Kaur appeared as amici curiae in the matter.Advocates Madan Lal Sharma and Tejaswini Verma represented petitioner Devinder.Union of India was represented through Central Government Standing Counsels (CGSCs) Nidhi Raman and Kirtiman Singh along with advocates Akash Mishra, Waize Ali Noor, Varun Rajawat, Vidhi Jain, Aryan Agrawal, Kartik Baijal and Varun Pratap Singh.Additional Standing Counsel Avishkar Singhvi along with advocates Naved Ahmed, Vivek Kr Singh and Shubham Kumar appeared for the Delhi government.Advocate RA Iyer appeared for Justice (Retired) Najmi Waziri.Advocates Manika Tripathy, Sanjay Katyal, Naveen K Sarswat, Rony John and Kritika Gupta represented the DDA.Additional Standing Counsel Vipul Ganda and Sakshi Rastogi represented NDMC.MCD was represented through Additional Standing Counsel Neha Jain. .[Read Order]