MP High Court Seeks GPS-Tagged Photos Of 253 'Transplanted' Trees; Says Images Show Trees Were 'Completely Cut', Not Replanted

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed the State to file photographs along with the GPS location of the 253 trees which have been allegedly transplanted, observing that the photographs currently on record showed that none of the trees had been transplanted but rather cut completely.The court passed the order while hearing a matter where it had taken suo motu cognisance of a news report published in the Times of India, as per which the Public Works Department (PWD) had allegedly felled 488 trees without taking the requisite permissions. As per the report, the central bench of NGT had asked the state government to constitute a committee with respect to the consideration of felling of trees for the construction of a stadium and road broadening at Neelbad.The court had earlier directed the PWD to file an affidavit indicating the number of trees that had been felled for the project and how many trees were further sought to be felled. During the hearing on Tuesday, a division bench of Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf noted that out of the 448 trees proposed for translocation, 253 had already been 'transplanted', according to the State's affidavit.It directed:"Respondents are directed to file photographs along with the GPS locations of each of the 253 trees that have been allegedly transplanted. The photographs placed on record of alleged transplanted trees show that none of the trees have been transplanted, rather the trees have been cut completely and the tree trunks have been put in the ground, some of which have started sprouting, however, the photographs do not indicate any of the trees having been retransplanted". The court further directed the State to also indicate whether any Tree Plantation Policy is in force in the State, and if not, whether any steps have been taken to formulate a Tree Plantation Policy to preserve the trees.During the hearing, after examining the photographs on record, the court orally said, "This is how you transplanted them? Are these transplanted trees?... How many birds will sit on these trees? We will wait for another 50 years because these trees can't be called trees. These are stumps".An intervenor also approached before the bench, contending that proposed construction activity is being carried out in the vicinity of a protected monument i.e., the Historical Dam of Paramar Period, Kiratnagar. Taking note of the same, the court issued notice to the Archaeological Survey of India. The matter is listed on November 20. Case Title: In reference (suo motu) v State [WP-42565-2025]Click here to read/download the Order

MP High Court Seeks GPS-Tagged Photos Of 253 'Transplanted' Trees; Says Images Show Trees Were 'Completely Cut', Not Replanted

Jayanti Pahwa

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