The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the authorities to immediately prune trees in Dwarka, pulling up the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for its “inaction” despite repeated incidents of trees falling during monsoon and causing loss of life and property.
A bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela said timely tree pruning was essential to ensure the safety of pedestrians and road users.
“Authorities have not been discharging their duties. Tending of trees and light pruning is required to make lives of pedestrians, other users of road safe,” the bench observed.
The court noted that a life had already been lost due to falling trees and termed it a wake-up call for civic bodies. “What else can be eye opening for the MCD?” the bench asked.
The bench expressed displeasure over the ineptness of the authorities, stressing that incidents of trees and branches collapsing during heavy rains were a common occurrence in Delhi. Such incidents, it observed, cause serious damage to both life and property.
The court pointed out that the Delhi government had issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on May 2 through its Department of Forest and Wildlife for pruning and tending of trees along roads and in parks, but the civic authorities had failed to implement it.
The observations came while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) that highlighted the authorities’ failure to follow the SOP. The petition claimed falling branches and dead trees were endangering public safety and obstructing smooth movement on roads and footpaths.
The bench also examined photographs filed with the PIL that showed hazardous tree conditions in Dwarka and called for “immediate attention” of the authorities.
The court directed the concerned authorities to:
- Conduct a survey of trees in Dwarka within 10 days to assess which ones require pruning.
- Complete the pruning work within four weeks after the survey’s completion.
The court made it clear that cutting of dead parts of trees was necessary to mitigate risks and avoid recurrence of such accidents.
