New Delhi, December 26, 2025:
The Forest and Wildlife Department of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi organised a comprehensive training workshop on the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) related to pruning and removal of dangerous trees under the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act (DPTA), 1994, at the Delhi Secretariat on Thursday. The workshop focused on the SOPs notified on May 2, 2025, and June 6, 2025, and aimed at strengthening their effective and uniform implementation across departments.
The workshop, held at 3:00 pm, was chaired by the Secretary (Environment and Forest), Delhi Government, and witnessed participation from officials of around 18 concerned government departments and land-owning agencies. The primary objective of the session was to sensitise officers and enhance their capacity in matters related to tree maintenance, pruning, and the removal of hazardous, dead, or diseased trees, particularly in public spaces such as roads, footpaths, and other high-footfall areas.
While addressing the participants, the Secretary (Environment and Forest) said that the initiative was in line with the concerns expressed by the Lieutenant Governor regarding the need for adequate sensitisation of field-level officers and frontline staff. He highlighted that in the past, certain avoidable incidents had occurred due to the lack of timely identification and management of dead, diseased, or dangerous trees located in public areas. These incidents, he said, underscored the importance of strict adherence to the notified SOPs to ensure public safety and prevent loss of life or property.
The workshop brought together heads of horticulture wings, senior officers from various government departments, and representatives of land-owning agencies. Detailed presentations were made on the statutory provisions of the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994, as well as the recently notified SOPs governing tree pruning and felling. Officials were also briefed on procedural requirements, prescribed timelines, documentation protocols, and the mechanisms for inter-departmental coordination essential for smooth and lawful execution of tree-related activities.
A key component of the workshop was a detailed presentation and live demonstration of the DPTA e-Forest web portal, the online platform developed by the Forest and Wildlife Department. The demonstration covered the process of online applications, approvals, and monitoring mechanisms, and explained how the portal contributes to transparency, accountability, and efficiency in implementing the provisions of the Act and the SOPs. Officials were encouraged to make optimal use of the portal to streamline workflows and reduce delays in decision-making.
The session concluded with an interactive question-and-answer segment, during which participants shared practical challenges and field-level experiences related to tree management and compliance with the Act. Officers from the Forest and Wildlife Department addressed these queries and provided practical guidance to help resolve operational issues. A feedback session was also conducted to gather suggestions from participants on making the portal more user-friendly and further improving its effectiveness.
The department reiterated that all notified SOPs are available on the official website of the Forest and Wildlife Department, GNCTD ([https://forest.delhi.gov.in](https://forest.delhi.gov.in)), as well as on the DPTA e-Forest web portal ([https://dpta.eforest.delhi.gov.in](https://dpta.eforest.delhi.gov.in)). All concerned departments and agencies were advised to refer to these resources to ensure strict and consistent compliance with the Act and associated procedures.
The training workshop forms a significant 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 Preservation of Trees Act, 1994, and enhance public safety across the National Capital Territory.
