SC clears CPWD water-storage project
The Supreme Court on Friday allowed the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) to build a water-storage facility and lay pipelines for the distribution of water inside the famous Buddha Jayanti Park in Delhi’s Ridge area.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi took note of the submissions of Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing in the matter for the authorities, and allowed the CPWD to go ahead with the work.
The bench also considered a report of the apex court-appointed Central Empowered Committee in this regard. Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing in the matter for one of the parties, hoped that no trees would be felled for building the water-storage facility and other related work.
The bench is hearing a plea related to the preservation of the Delhi Ridge Forest. Earlier, the Delhi Forest department had told the court that a “fake permission”, using the name of the deputy conservator of forests, was issued for tree felling in the Ridge area of Vasant Kunj here for a housing project. The deputy conservator of the West Forest Division had filed an affidavit on a plea moved by environmental activist Bhavreen Kandhari, which contended that the said land was a morphological ridge protected by the top court’s May 9, 1996, order.
It said the court’s prior permission was required for tree-felling activity or before any diversion can be made in the area.
