Continuous rise in forest, tree cover in Delhi welcome sign: Centre to HC

The Centre on Monday told the Delhi High Court that there has been a continuous increase in the green cover in the national capital and this shift towards increase in denser forest areas is a welcome sign.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, in an affidavit filed before the court, submitted that the rising denser forest areas signifies an increase in the capacity of forests to sequester carbon and mitigate environmental pollution.

The affidavit was filed before a bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad, which listed the matter for further hearing on July 13 while granting time to the amicus curiae to file his response to the affidavit.

The high court was hearing a batch of PILs on the problem of poor ambient air quality in Delhi, an issue which it has also taken up suo motu and in which it has also appointed an amicus curiae.

The affidavit was filed in pursuance to the court's earlier direction asking the Centre, Delhi ...