CJI Sanjiv Khanna Steps Back From Hearing Case About Illegal Tree Cutting In Delhi Ridge.
Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna stepped back from hearing cases about the alleged illegal cutting down of hundreds of trees in the Delhi Ridge area. Previously, a bench led by former Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud had requested a personal affidavit from Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena regarding the case, which also aimed to start contempt proceedings against some DDA officials. At the beginning of the session, the CJI, sitting with Justice Sanjay Kumar, mentioned, “I want to point out that when I was the NALSA chairman, I visited Patna and toured jails there with the Delhi LG. Therefore, it wouldn’t be right for me to hear this plea…”
The bench scheduled the cases to be heard by a different bench that does not include the CJI during the week starting November 27. A lawyer noted that two other benches had already issued orders. The CJI acknowledged this by saying, “We know.” On November 7, the Supreme Court had inquired about the actions taken by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to restore the Delhi Ridge area, where many trees were reportedly cut down illegally, and asked about the extent of tree planting by the authorities. The bench indicated it would set up a monitoring system to ensure the survival of the planted trees and questioned if there was an independent method to verify the number of trees planted.
The bench requested updates from the DDA counsel and the petitioner regarding the status of the felled trees, actions taken, and the monitoring system. However, the bench led by the then CJI did not issue any orders on November 8, the last working day for Justice Chandrachud. The ridge is part of the Aravalli Hill range in Delhi, characterized by rocky, hilly, and forested land. It is divided into four administrative zones: south, south-central, central, and north, covering a total area of about 7,784 hectares.
The court was reviewing a request for action against officials involved in the alleged illegal cutting of trees in the area. The judges asked, “What steps are you taking to restore the ridge?” They also wanted to know how many trees were removed and what plans were in place for restoration and afforestation.
Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing the petitioner who accused the officials of contempt, mentioned that a report from the Forest Survey of India (FSI) indicated that 1,670 trees had been cut down. In contrast, the DDA previously reported that only 642 trees were affected. The Supreme Court had issued a contempt notice to the DDA vice-chairman regarding the tree removal for road construction. The court stated that retired IFS officer Ishwar Singh, central empowered committee member Sunil Limaye, and ecological gardener Pradip Kishen would assist the FSI in their work. The judges noted that 3,340 trees should be planted in the ridge area, along with 100 times the number of trees that were cut down.
