Supreme Court panel pulls up CPWD for illegal works in Delhi’s Buddha Jayanti Park, directs it to plant 1,000 trees and shrubs

In its report dated August 20, the Supreme Court panel noted that analysis of satellite imagery and site inspections showed the land was largely open with sparse vegetation in 2021, and recorded a visible recovery of tree cover by 2022. However, between 2022 and 2024, two large pits were dug, undergrowth and small trees cleared, and lopping or pruning of larger trees carried out for excavation and construction activity, it said.

While no large-scale felling of mature trees was evident, the report noted that “extensive excavation was undertaken, resulting in the creation of two large pits, clearance of ground vegetation, and discernible disturbance of tree cover”.

The apex court committee pointed out that such works in the Central Ridge, which is a protected forest area, require prior approval under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, which the CPWD had not obtained.

However, the CPWD had earlier told the court that it proposed two underground tanks for unfiltered irrigation water and said work began in April 2024 after clearing dead vegetation and barricading.

The affected area is at least 1,001 square metres. Based on stocking density for open forest, the panel estimated that around nine trees may have been disturbed by felling, lopping or heavy pruning.

A range forest officer’s inspection, supported by photographs, notes substantial pruning of standing trees, which the panel said violates Section 8 of the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994. As per the Act, permission is mandated by a tree officer for the pruning and felling of trees in Delhi.

The panel noted during the site visit that, despite being part of the Morphological Ridge, the park is virtually bereft of indigenous trees, shrubs, and other ridge elements. To restore the ecological character of the area, the CPWD should plant and maintain three concentric rows, each consisting of not less than 1,000 indigenous fruit-bearing trees and shrubs, along the periphery of the park during the current rainy season, it said.

The panel also directed the body to immediately take “ecological improvement measures”. These include planting indigenous fruit trees and shrubs to increase green cover, developing a proper and adequate composting facility within the park, creating rainwater harvesting structures, developing water bodies and a nursery.

The panel asked the CPWD to impose a complete ban on single-use plastic in the park and label all plants, prepare a detailed inventory of resident and migratory birds, butterflies and other wild fauna. It also asked the CPWD to ensure a minimum level of cleaning and filtration before releasing untreated raw water for irrigation purposes in the park.

The panel found that “the untreated raw water” for irrigation in the park is highly polluted and emits a foul stench, degrading soil quality and introducing pollutants into the food chain.