The Delhi High Court in the case Aditya N Prasad v. Government of NCT of Delhi And Ors observed and has directed the Union Government for ensuring that the environmental cost of all projects, which includes the number of trees that are felled and location of compensatory plantation, is displayed at the construction sites.
The bench of Justice Subramonium Prasad in the case observed and has stated that an officer not less than the rank of Joint Secretary in the Union Ministry of Urban Development should be made responsible in order to ensure compliance of the direction.
The court stated that the said information also contains the name of the civic agency which is carrying out the construction.
The bench of Justice Prasad in the case observed and has disposed of the petition moved by Advocate Aditya N Prasad wherein seeking implementation of an order passed by the Central Information Commission on August 05, 2011, thus, the court directed all the civic agencies carrying out any construction work to display the environmental cost along with the monetary costs and details of the project at construction sites.
It being the case of Prasad’s that the similar order is being passed by the coordinate bench on 25.05.2013, wherein the court directed that a composite plan be obtained by PWD and other road owning agencies which will include details of number of standing trees and those which are required to be cut-down.
The counsel appearing for the Delhi Government submitted before the court that the orders in question are being complied with in the right earnest.
It has also been submitted before the court that the Tree Officers of the concerned divisions would be equally responsible for timely updating of the data regarding the projects as stated in the orders.
The bench of Justice Prasad in the case stated that as far as the contribution being carried out by the Union of India is concerned, the details of such project, i.e. the environmental cost, the number of trees being felled and the location of compensatory plantation, it should be indicated at the site of the construction.
