New Delhi, December 26, 2025:
The Forest and Wildlife Department of the Delhi Government on Thursday organised a comprehensive training workshop on the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) related to the pruning and felling of hazardous trees under the Delhi Tree Preservation Act (DPTA), 1994. The workshop was held at 3:00 pm at the Delhi Secretariat and focused on the SOPs notified on May 2, 2025, and June 6, 2025.
The workshop was chaired by the Secretary (Environment and Forest), Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, and was attended by officials from nearly 18 concerned government departments and land-owning agencies. The objective of the programme was to sensitise officials and enhance their capacity for effective implementation of the recently notified SOPs concerning the maintenance, pruning and removal of dangerous, dead and diseased trees across the city.
While addressing the participants, the Secretary (Environment and Forest) said the initiative was aligned with concerns expressed by the Lieutenant Governor regarding the need for greater sensitisation of field-level officers and frontline staff. He pointed out that in the past, certain avoidable incidents had occurred due to delays or gaps in the identification and management of dead, diseased and hazardous trees located along roads, footpaths and other public spaces. He stressed that strict adherence to the notified SOPs was therefore essential to prevent such incidents and to ensure public safety.
Senior officers, including heads of horticulture wings and representatives of various government departments and land-owning agencies, participated in the workshop. Detailed presentations were made on the statutory provisions of the Delhi Tree Preservation Act, 1994, the newly notified SOPs for tree pruning and felling, procedural requirements, prescribed timelines, documentation norms and mechanisms for inter-departmental coordination. The sessions aimed to ensure uniform understanding and consistent application of the legal and procedural framework across departments.
The workshop also featured an in-depth presentation and live demonstration of the DPTA e-Forest web portal developed by the Forest and Wildlife Department. Officials were briefed on the portal’s functionalities, including online application submission, approval processes, monitoring mechanisms and its role in ensuring transparency and efficiency in the implementation of the Act and SOPs. The demonstration highlighted how the digital platform can streamline processes and improve accountability among implementing agencies.
An interactive question-and-answer session marked the concluding segment of the workshop. Participants shared practical challenges and on-ground experiences related to tree management and compliance with the SOPs. Officers from the Forest and Wildlife Department addressed the queries and provided practical guidance to resolve operational issues faced at the field level. A dedicated feedback session was also conducted to gather suggestions for making the portal more user-friendly and effective.
The department reiterated that all notified SOPs are available on the official website of the Forest and Wildlife Department, GNCTD, as well as on the DPTA e-Forest web portal. Concerned agencies have been advised to regularly refer to these platforms to ensure effective compliance with statutory requirements.
The training workshop forms an important part of the Delhi Government’s ongoing efforts, under the guidance of the Lieutenant Governor, to strengthen institutional capacity, ensure uniform and effective implementation of the Delhi Tree Preservation Act, 1994, and enhance public safety across the national capital.
