The Supreme Court on Monday pulled up the Delhi government's forest department for not apprising it of any comprehensive measures taken by it to enhance the green cover of the national capital, saying it has shown a "complete lack of interest" and "lacklustre" approach.

The Court said, "Judges come and go. It is not for the benefit of judges but for the national capital territory of Delhi."

A bench of Justices AS Oka and Augustine George Masih directed the principal secretary of the forest department to be present on October 18 through virtual mode and asked him to file a personal affidavit to explain why information was not placed on record on steps taken and to be taken for enhancing the green cover of Delhi by October 15.

"The Delhi government has claimed that it filed a compliance report in the contempt petition which has been transferred from this bench to another bench. Apart from this approach of the Delhi government, the status report dated September 21 shows a complete lack of interest by the principal secretary of the forest department," the bench said.

The Supreme Court also expressed displeasure over the statement of advocate Chirag Shroff appearing for the Delhi government that it has filed the compliance report in a contempt matter, which is pending before another bench of the apex court.

"Either there is a complete lack of knowledge or somebody else wants that this court should not hear this matter. There is something else in your approach obviously.