HC takes suo motu notice of report on alleged felling of 2,000 trees for real estate project

Less than a week after the alleged felling of nearly 2,000 trees across 40 acres— reportedly to make way for a real estate project—was highlighted in these columns, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has taken suo motu cognisance and sought a status report. DLF Limited through its Managing Director and Gurugram Municipal Corporation through its Commissioner have also been made parties to the litigation in addition to the State of Haryana.

Taking up the suo motu or “court on its own motion” case on Thursday, the Division Bench of Justice Anil Kshetarpal and Justice Aman Chaudhary also issued notice of motion to the State and the other respondents before fixing the matter for further hearing on June 26.

As the issue came up for preliminary hearing, the Vacation Bench asserted that the matter was being entertained as a writ petition on the basis of a news item published in ‘The Tribune’ on June 12. The Bench also recorded in its order that the notice of motion issued to the respondents was accepted on the State’s behalf by Additional Advocate-General RKS Brar.

“The State counsel is directed to inform the Municipal Corporation, Gurugram, in this regard and status report be filed within a week,” the court asserted. The matter was placed before the Vacation Bench after Chief Justice Sheel Nagu took note of the news item “DLF project sparks outcry in Aravallis, activists protest outside minister’s home”.

The news item had referred to the claims of the residents and environmental activists that the builder was “destroying the Aravallis” and had launched protests and official petitions seeking an immediate halt to the activity.

Chief Justice Nagu, in his note, referred to the environmental concerns highlighted in the news-item, including issues related to ecological balance and pollution. The Chief Justice has, in the past, also expressed strong concern over environmental issues.

In a matter relating to the proposed cutting of 150 century-old trees in Sonepat district for a police facility, a Bench headed by the Chief Justice had categorically observed: “We, the people, have suffered enough environmental degradation, and therefore, this court would not like to be a part of any further deterioration.”

Haryana Tribune