The Delhi High Court has directed the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to protect 500 newly planted amaltas saplings in parts of the Central Ridge area from monkeys by installing tree guards.
The direction came after the court was informed that monkeys not only damaged the tender branches but sometimes uprooted the saplings.
The NDMC counsel submitted photographs to Justice Najmi Waziri -- who was hearing a bunch of pleas on tree plantation -- showing that 500 amaltas saplings had been planted in various parts of the Central Ridge.
The counsel told the court that the saplings have been interspersed with trees of other varieties, ensuring that there is no mono-culture. However, she said monkey menace was a threat.
“To safeguard these young vulnerable trees, it will be worthwhile for the council to install appropriate tree guards wherever deemed necessary, so as to prevent tree-attrition due to monkey menace. Affidavit of compliance be filed before the next date,” the court said.
Noting that more than 100,000 trees had been planted all over Delhi in the last two years under its directions, Justice Waziri said many of these were contributed by litigants in hundreds of cases as costs or fine.
He said the endeavour to create and augment the green cover with indigenous deciduous trees, both in the heart of the city and on its periphery, is a collective exercise for the enrichment of Delhi’s ecology.
“What will the trees grow up to look like? What will be their contribution to better health and psychological well-being of the residents of Delhi? What will be their overall contribution to Delhi’s ecological improvement over the years? How many a heart will be cheered, by the scores of street-aligned amaltas in full bloom? These are answers only nature can give,” the judge said in his order dated August 25.
Quoting from environmentalist Pradip Krishen’s book, Trees of Delhi – A Field Guide, the judge said, “Trees will not, of course, solve Delhi’s ecological problems. But while we search the will and means to undo what we have done, trees are balm and salve to our mistakes. They are witnesses to our foolish tinkering with nature, embellishments of our dour cities, symbols of renewal and growth, our reasons for hope and for keeping the faith. That is reason enough.”
During the hearing, the Delhi forest department filed an affidavit, detailing that of the planned 74,781 trees, roughly 60,000 saplings were planted in the Southern Ridge and they were in good health. It said 20 check-dams were constructed and the videography of the area shows collection of a large quantity of rainwater which would not only recharge the water table, but also help in the growth of vegetation and the newly planted trees.
“The small water reservoirs will abet rejuvenation of the earth. There is a proposal to create 40 more such check-dams. For the moment, a total of 60 check-dams will be created. The forest department is exploring the creation of many more. Let such proposal be shared with the learned court commissioners,” the court said in its order.
Justice Waziri has been passing orders from time to time in the last two years, directing litigants and parties to plant tree saplings throughout the city as costs or fine.
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