New Delhi, Jun 6 (PTI) The Delhi government has directed all departments and civic agencies not to act on a few provisions of its tree-pruning SOP that allowed cutting of certain branches without prior permission, following a stay order by the Delhi High Court.
In an order dated May 6 in a contempt case, the court stayed the operation of two provisions of the standard operating procedure (SOP) notified on May 2, 2025, the Forest and Wildlife Department said in a circular.
The stay remains in place until the next hearing on July 20, it said.
The provisions in question allowed general tending and light pruning of branches with a girth of less than 15.7 cm without permission from a tree officer, subject to uploading photographs on the e-Forest portal.
Another provision permitted agencies such as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Public Works Department (PWD), Central Public Works Department (CPWD), Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and Delhi Cantonment Board to undertake tending and light pruning of trees on public land posing a danger to life, property or traffic without seeking prior approval. This was subject to the work being carried out under the supervision of a senior horticulture officer and reported to the tree Officer with geo-referenced photographs and videos.
The department said the high court had observed that the provisions were contrary to its May 29, 2023 judgment in a case concerning tree pruning under the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994.
According to the court order, the 2023 judgment had held that there was no statutory sanction for permitting pruning of tree branches up to a girth of 15.7 cm without specific prior permission from the tree officer and that such guidelines were inconsistent with the provisions of the Act.
The court noted that the provisions incorporated in the 2025 SOP were “in teeth of” the earlier judgment, which had attained finality and was binding on the authorities.
The department has directed all concerned authorities and agencies to ensure strict compliance with the court’s order and refrain from taking any action under the stayed provisions until further orders.
The circular has been sent to multiple agencies, including the Delhi Police, DDA, MCD, NDMC, PWD, Delhi Jal Board, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, National Highway Authority of India, Delhi Cantonment Board and all district magistrates in the national capital. PTI SGV PRK
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