Authority: Supreme Court of India
Order Date: 27-07-2026
Case Overview
- Petition: Bindu Kapurea vs Subhasish Panda & Ors., Miscellaneous Application No. 1652/2025, arising from contempt petition (C) Diary No. 21171/2024 dated 28‑05‑2025.
- The Court heard counsel on 27‑07‑2026 before Chief Justice, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana.
- The matter concerns DDA’s compliance with earlier directions regarding plantation and forest land conversion.
Observations / Findings
- DDA submitted its Second Bi‑Annual compliance report stating that perimeter‑wall construction, repair and strengthening for all 18 plantation parcels have been completed, including the last stretch at Sector‑32, Rohini.
- 7.86 acres of the Maidan Garhi parcel have been earmarked for translocating 2,519 trees, shrubs and saplings affected by the CAPFIMS road.
- Of a sample batch of 26 plants shifted, only 11 survived, reflecting a 42 % survival rate; transplantation and casualty replacement have been deferred pending the monsoon.
- DDA has planted 1,39,264 saplings across a 185‑acre area, representing about 85 % of the stipulated target. The shortfall is attributed to non‑availability of specified native species, which are being procured from other states.
- A dedicated web portal has been operationalised to monitor the health and survival of the saplings.
- A joint inspection conducted on 18‑05‑2026 at three sites found the plantations consistent with the prescribed species composition and satisfactory, as reported by the Expert Member.
- Despite the DRI failure to deposit the allotment amount, the Dhoolsiras parcel was handed over to the Forest Department on 09‑06‑2026, where 107 trees have been planted and 96 trees transplanted.
Directions
- DDA must clarify in the next status report whether the remaining 15 % of saplings have been planted.
- DDA must submit the web‑portal‑based report on the health and survival of the saplings.
- DDA must submit a separate report on the mortality of the translocated saplings.
- The process to notify all 18 parcels of land as forest land must be initiated.
- The next compliance report shall be posted on 21‑09‑2026.
Final Outcome
- The Supreme Court ordered the Delhi Development Authority to provide the specified clarifications, health and mortality reports, to initiate forest‑land notification for all parcels, and to file the subsequent compliance report by 21 September 2026.
Topics: Tree Plantation, Environmental Compliance, Judicial Direction