The Supreme Court on Monday approved the Delhi Development Authority’s (DDA) plan to allocate 18 land parcels to the Delhi forest department for compensatory afforestation, calling it a much-needed step for a city that struggles with severe air pollution, especially in the winter.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant, Ujjal Bhuyan, and Joymalya Bagchi directed the DDA to provide ₹46 crore to the forest department for planting over 1.67 lakh trees across these identified sites. The court made it clear that the land will be used exclusively for forestry purposes, directing that an official notification be issued to prevent any change in land use.

The court instructed the DDA to build perimeter walls around all 18 sites to ensure proper protection and upkeep of the plantations. It also extended t

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