Only 3,500 saplings have been planted so far. (Archive)The Delhi High Court Monday pulled up the Delhi government’s forest department over its failure to comply with its direction to ensure 1.4 lakh saplings are planted in the Central Ridge, and ordered the agency to plant around 60,000 saplings by mid-July. “What’s the problem in digging the earth and planting trees?” Justice Najmi Waziri asked.
The observations came after the government said only 3,500 saplings have been planted till date, with 2,500 more to be planted by this week. The court said the forest department should plant 5,000 more saplings in the Central Ridge and around 50,000 in the Southern Ridge by mid-July.
The private company, which has been directed to procure the saplings, was also pulled up by the judge when it said 1,000 saplings cost Rs 17.5 lakh. “This is a scam… Each tree would cost Rs 250-350…,” the judge said.
The court had earlier directed a private firm to spend the fine imposed on it to plant 1.4 lakh trees and asked the department to ensure its implementation.
