The Delhi High Court has provided the Indian Air Force station at Palam with an extended deadline to fulfill its environmental obligation of planting 470 compensatory saplings. This decision removes the final hurdle for the issuance of a conditional No Objection Certificate (NOC) to the airbase.
Court's Observation and the Core Issue
Justice Sachin Dutta, presiding over the case, pointed out that the incomplete tree plantation was the sole remaining obstacle preventing the grant of the NOC. The court's observation referred back to an order dated December 2, which had highlighted this non-compliance. The plantation mandate itself originated from a directive issued by the deputy conservator of forests on June 20, 2025.
The bench made it clear that meeting the afforestation requirement was a non-negotiable precondition for receiving the crucial certificate. According to submissions made in court, the IAF has so far planted approximately 160 saplings, leaving a significant portion of the commitment unfulfilled.
IAF's Undertaking and New Deadline
Representatives for the Indian Air Force informed the High Court of their plan to complete the remaining plantation work. They assured the judiciary that the 310 pending saplings would be planted by December 13.
Justice Dutta's court accepted this formal undertaking from the IAF. In doing so, the judge emphasized that this commitment would legally bind the force to adhere to the proposed deadline. The court's acceptance paves a clear, conditional path for the NOC to be issued once the plantation is verified.
Compliance Verification and Next Steps
To ensure transparency and proper verification, the High Court has issued specific instructions to the Air Force. The IAF is required to file a detailed affidavit confirming full compliance with the plantation order.
This affidavit must include comprehensive data such as:
- The exact geographical location of all planted saplings.
- The final count confirming all 470 saplings have been planted.
The court further directed that a copy of this compliance report be shared with the concerned forest authorities. This step is crucial for official record-keeping and for the authorities to close the case based on the fulfilled environmental condition.
This judicial intervention underscores the increasing importance placed on compensatory afforestation in urban development and infrastructure projects, even when they involve crucial defense establishments.
