In a recent ruling, the Supreme Court has directed the Haryana government to restore a green belt in Karnal within three months, taking strong exception to the felling of 40 fully grown trees to construct an access road to a newly built Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office.

The bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Viswanathan made the order after expressing dissatisfaction with the explanations provided by the Haryana government and the Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP). The court found the state's justifications to be an "eyewash" intended to mislead.

The HSVP had claimed the trees were cut down to widen the road, and that the Resident Welfare Association of Sector 9 was consulted and had given their consent. Additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee, representing the HSVP, also stated that compensatory plantation had been carried out. However, the bench was unconvinced, questioning the justification for damaging a green belt for road widening purposes.

The case originated from a petition filed by a 1971 war veteran, Col. Davinder Singh Rajput (Retd), who challenged the allocation of a plot in a residential area to the BJP for the construction of their office, and the subsequent felling of trees for the access road. Rajput, a Vir Chakra awardee, had purchased a plot in Sector 9 from the HSVP (formerly HUDA). He challenged the Punjab and Haryana High Court's dismissal of his plea against the allotment.

The Supreme Court had previously addressed the matter, directing the Haryana government to maintain the status quo regarding the development on October 15. On November 26, the court expressed strong disapproval, calling the uprooting of the trees "pathetic" and demanding a remedial action plan. The court questioned why the political party's office could not be moved to a different location.

While the petitioner also challenged the land allotment to the BJP, the court stated that it could not examine the allotment, as it was done in 2018. However, the court made it clear that the road widening undertaken to provide access to the BJP office must be reversed and directed the authorities to restore the green belt to its original state within three months and submit a report with photographs.

Advocate Bhupender Pratap Singh, representing the war veteran, argued that the trees were felled illegally to construct the access road. The bench supported this submission. The court was not satisfied with the Additional Solicitor General's argument that all necessary permissions were obtained and green norms were followed.

The Supreme Court's order underscores the importance of environmental protection and the need for accountability when development projects encroach upon green spaces. The ruling serves as a reminder to government bodies to prioritize ecological preservation and ensure that all actions are in accordance with the law and environmental regulations.