Tanvi Sinha
In a new development, the Supreme Court gave green light to the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) to cut 29 trees in order to construct a new academic and hostel block building and a guest house under the Central Empowering Committee’s conditions.
The three-judge bench of CJI SA Bobde, Justice A S Bopanna, and V Ramasubramanian gave the order after seeing that the committee had properly examined all issues and had given their permission.
The CEC told the top court that the permission had come hand in hand with the IIMC promising to deposit 5 percent of the project cost with the Ridge Management Board Fund, where it would be under close supervision by the Forest Department and the Delhi government.
The construction itself is also set to conditions such as it cannot disturb storm water drainage systems during or after construction, that it should utilise its roof for harnessing solar energy, and that it only cut an absolute minimum of trees required for the construction within 16.2 acres allotted to it by JNU where even then at least 40 percent of the area would have to be a green zone with the institute itself planting native tree species.
The court was told by IIMC that to pay for cutting 29 trees the institute had taken on planting 300 more of different species.
