New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Thursday asked the Central Empowered Committee (CEC), set up by the Supreme Court to look into environment issues, to consider as representation a plea seeking to change from overground to underground the nature of phase IV of metro expansion to prevent cutting of over 11,000 trees.
Justice Prathiba M Singh declined to entertain the petition saying the matter was in the domain of the Supreme Court and CEC and therefore, the petitioners — a doctor and a lawyer — have to first approach the committee.
With the direction the court disposed of the plea by Dr P C Prasad and advocate Aditya N Prasad who had contended that felling over 11,000 trees for the project would have an adverse effect on the ambient air quality of the national capital where pollution is at “critical” levels.
The court declined to hear the matter after the lawyer for Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said it had filed an application in the apex court regarding the objections…