High Court Closes Plea Over Tree Felling By DLF In Aravalli Region, Asks Haryana Govt To Ensure It Plants 10 Times More Trees

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has asked the functionaries of Haryana government to ensure that real estate developer DLF complies with the condition of afforestation, on which it has been permitted to fell trees in Gurugram.

The development comes in the suo moto case initiated based on newspaper reports about alleged felling of 2,000 trees by DLF in protected forest area of Aravalli Hills.

Since it was later found that the alleged felling of trees was not in the forest area and the same was duly permitted, the division bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry said,

“in the backdrop of notice dated 12.06.2025 issued by Range Forest Officer, Gurugram, regarding complaints of violations of terms and conditions of permission to fell trees, directs that respondent No.3-DLF should ensure following all the terms and conditions subject to which permissions to cut trees have been granted especially condition of planting 10 times the trees cut, during this monsoon season.”

The Court further directed the State functionaries to supervise and ensure that the condition of afforestation is strictly complied with and 10 times the trees cut are planted within close proximity of the project area concerned, so that residents of the area in question and its vicinity are benefited by clean and fresh air emanating from the trees planted through afforestation.

The suo moto PIL was initiated in June last year.

Perusing the affidavit filed by Gurugram's Deputy Conservator of Forest, the Court noted that DLF had permission to fell trees and “land neither falls in protected forest nor in reserved forest and has also not been notified under Aravalli Plantation nor under any specific orders issued under Sections 4 & 5 of the Punjab Land Preservation Act, 1900.”

The affidavit also disclosed that permission granted for felling of trees was not absolute but conditional since it was subject to forestation of 10 times number of trees cut, which is about 28,000 trees, to be planted during this monsoon season by DLF.

It further noted that land in question is privately owned by the DLF since 1989 and licence for developing the project was granted in the year 1995 wherein first zoning was duly approved and the said land neither falls within any protected/reserved forest nor under the notified Aravalli Range.

In the light of the above the plea was disposed of.

Appearance: Mr. Sarvadaman Singh Oberoi, Applicant in person (CM-156-CWPIL-2025). Mr. Abhayjeet Singh Rao, Advocate (Arguing counsel) Ms. Ekakshra Mahajan, Advocate and Mr. Tejas Ahlawat, Advocate for the applicant (CM-160-CWPIL-2025). Mr. Ankur Mittal, Additional Advocate General, Haryana (Arguing counsel) Mr. Pradeep P. Chahar, Sr. Deputy Advocate General, Haryana Mr. Saurabh Mago, Deputy Advocate General, Haryana, and Mr. Karan Jindal, Assistant Advocate General, Haryana and Ms. Kushaldeep Kaur, Advocate, for respondent-State of Haryana Mr. Deepak Balyan, Advocate andMr. Sharad Aggarwal, Advocate for respondent No.2 – Municipal Corporation, Gurugram. Mr. R.S.Rai, Senior Advocate (Arguing counsel) and Mr. Chetan Mittal, Senior Advocate (Arguing counsel) withMr. Udit Garg, Advocate, Ms. Radhika Mehta, Advocate and Ms. Shifali Goyal, Advocate for respondent No.3 – DLF.

Title: Court on its own motion versus State of Hayana and others