New Delhi, Jun 6 (PTI) The Delhi government has rolled out guidelines for tree officers to enforce certain sections of the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act (DPTA), 1994, officials said.
Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said Section 8 of the DPTA mandates that no tree shall be felled, removed or disposed of without prior permission from the tree officer.
However, it provides an exception for emergency cases, where a tree poses an immediate danger to life, property or traffic, he explained. In such situations, RWAs, land-owning agencies, individuals or responsible agencies may act without prior approval, provided they report the action to the tree officer within 24 hours, he added.
To bring clarity to the application of this proviso, the Delhi government’s Department of Forest and Wildlife has issued a framework highlighting general circumstances where immediate pruning or removal may be warranted, said an official statement.
These include cases where trees are obstructing roads, bridges, drains or sewer lines; damaging buildings or heritage structures; interfering with Metro or Railway infrastructure; or where trees are dried, dead or leaning precariously, posing a risk of falling, it added.
In such situations, the concerned agency, individual or residential society may take immediate remedial action but must mandatorily report it within 24 hours by uploading photographs from at least three different angles, geo-coordinates and justification for the action, along with post-action images, on the DPTA e-Forest portal (https://dpta.eforest.delhi.gov.in).
Tree officers will accept this as valid compliance under the Act. Tree officers are also empowered to act on their own, if such threats are observed during inspections or field visits, the statement added.
“The Delhi government is fully committed to the safety and well-being of its people. At the same time, we remain dedicated to preserving Delhi’s green wealth.
“These SOPs (standard operating procedures) strike the right balance — enabling timely action on hazardous trees while ensuring complete transparency and accountability,” Sirsa said.
These SOPs are designed to facilitate responsible and timely interventions in genuine emergencies. However, any misuse or false declaration will attract strict legal consequences under applicable forest laws, the statement added. PTI SLB SLB KSS KSS
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