Delhi govt notifies SOP to protect trees

New Delhi: Chief minister Rekha Gupta on Monday said Delhi govt had notified a comprehensive standard operating procedure (SOP) to deal with tree-related offences.As part of the SOP, notified under Section 33 of Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994, a forest control room at the headquarters level and divisional control rooms at the divisional level have been established, which will function 24x7. Quick response teams at both levels will handle the matter in real time, with a green helpline made operational.Gupta said, “It establishes a robust, transparent and time-bound mechanism for the prevention, detection and prosecution of illegal felling, damage and unauthorised activities involving trees. The implementation of this SOP will ensure effective and accountable action in every case of violation.”A draft SOP was prepared in 2023, with Delhi High Court in 2024 directing the forest department to notify it.CM said all complaints would be transmitted in real time to the field officers concerned to ensure prompt action. Quick response teams will reach the site within a stipulated time to prevent further damage and collect evidence through geo-tagged photographs and videos.Gupta said forest department officials, including beat and tree officers, have been empowered to issue prohibitory orders to prevent violations, seize equipment used in offences and coordinate with law enforcement agencies. She added that the forest and divisional control rooms were equipped with the necessary infrastructure to facilitate continuous monitoring of complaints and ensure coordinated action with various emergency services.Govt has reactivated green helpline 1800118600. The portal, ghl.eforest.delhi.gov.in, is also fully operational. “These will be widely publicised to encourage greater citizen participation. The portal provides an accessible platform for lodging complaints and tracking their progress,” said CM, adding that it aligns with PM’s directions and showcases govt’s commitment to protecting green assets.Activist Bhavreen Kandhari welcomed the policy, but said the implementation remained a challenge. “It is a delayed response to sustained scrutiny by Delhi High Court and repeated citizen complaints on unchecked tree loss. Courts have already flagged gaps in implementation, including failure to act on complaints and SOP provisions that may have even caused indiscriminate cutting, if misused,” she said.The concern is not the absence of rules, but the consistent failure to enforce rules, Kandhari alleged, adding that accountability be fixed at the officers’ level.