The Delhi high court has found two Public Works Department (PWD) officers guilty of civil contempt for failing to stop the concretization and digging of the area around trees in Chittaranjan Park, citing clear evidence of callous and deliberate disregard for the court’s orders, as well as a concerted effort to damage the city’s ecology.
The court was hearing a contempt petition filed by the New Delhi Nature Society regarding tree damage caused by BSES Rajhdhani Power Limited’s cable laying work on Bipin Chandra Pal Marg and nearby areas. The plea stated that the roots of standing trees had been damaged, particularly within a 1m radius of the trunk, in violation of the high court’s and the National Green Tribunal’s previous orders (NGT). Both courts ordered that a one-meter distance be maintained between trees and any building activities carried out by private or government agencies.
For civil or criminal contempt of court, the maximum term is six months in prison. Justice Najmi Waziri stated in an order issued on Monday that, despite a status quo order issued by him on February 25, 2022, construction and cable/pipe laying were still going on at the site, ‘unmindful’ and ‘in total disregard to any care or concern for the living trees’.
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