New Delhi: Central Empowered Committee (CEC) of Supreme Court has recommended action against CPWD officials for installing underground water tanks and associated pipelines in Buddha Jayanti Park, within the ecologically-sensitive Central Ridge Reserved Forest, without permission. It also flagged the illegal pruning of nearly nine trees.CEC also asked the Supreme Court to direct CPWD to restore the affected area by undertaking compensatory afforestation through the plantation of 90 indigenous tree species and the plantation of three concentric rows, each consisting of not less than 1,000 indigenous fruit-bearing trees and shrubs along the park’s periphery. It has also recommended the development of water bodies, the creation of a nursery, rainwater harvesting, a composting facility, the labelling of plants, and the preparation of an inventory of birds and butterflies.The case stems from a contempt petition filed by the petitioner—New Delhi Nature Society—in the apex court alleging that during a visit in April 2024 to Buddha Jayanti Park, which forms part of the Central Ridge, large-scale unlawful excavation was witnessed. The petitioner claimed the activity involved the felling or uprooting of several trees and was undertaken without obtaining any statutory clearance under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. Following this, Supreme Court issued a notice to CPWD in this matter in May last year.However, CPWD claimed that due to increasing tourist footfall and scarcity of irrigation water, oral instructions were issued in July 2023 by the ministry of housing and urban affairs for ensuring adequate raw water supply to sustain the greenery and biodiversity of the park. CPWD said it proposed the construction of two underground tanks for the storage of unfiltered irrigation water and that “work began in April 2024 which involved site clearance of dead vegetation and barricading of the barren area.“Following the order of the Supreme Court, CEC visited the site on Aug 16 this year and also analysed the imageries of Google Earth. “The ‘breaking of land’ for the construction of water storage tanks constitutes a ‘non-forestry activity’ and undertaking such work without the prior approval of the Central govt is a violation of the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980,” said the CEC.Google Earth imagery revealed that between 2022 and 2024, extensive excavation was undertaken, resulting in the creation of two large pits, clearance of ground vegetation, and discernible disturbance of tree cover. “While large-scale felling of mature trees is not evident, undergrowth and small trees were cleared, and lopping/pruning of larger trees appears to have been undertaken to facilitate excavation and construction,” said the CEC. It estimated that nine trees were pruned in violation of the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994.Besides the compensatory plantation of 90 indigenous species, CEC has recommended that the CPWD shall undertake immediate ecological improvement measures in Buddha Jayanti Park, including the development of water bodies to support birds and other wildlife, development of a strong nursery with a long-term vision of distributing home herbal garden kits and other plants to the public in the future, preparation of an inventory of birds, butterflies, and others, the creation of appropriate rainwater harvesting structures, a composting facility, and the imposition of a complete ban on single-use plastic.