The Delhi High Court has sentenced two PWD officials to simple imprisonment for contempt in view of their “recalcitrance” to follow the law and court orders in relation to conservation of trees in the Chittaranjan Park area.

The judge opined that there was a consistent disregard in compliance of these orders, which merited a sentence under contempt law and sentenced the executive engineer and the engineer-in-chief of the Public Works department (PWD) to undergo simple imprisonment for a period of four months and two months, respectively. The court also slapped a fine of `2,000 on each.

Justice Najmi Waziri noted that not only did the court earlier direct the authorities to exercise due caution with respect to the wellbeing of trees while undertaking any civil work but the National Green Tribunal also passed similar directions, including the removal of the concrete surrounding tree trunks.

“What is seen from the above is that despite repeated directions and orders passed of this court and of the NGT (National Green Tribunal), there has been a consistent disregard in compliance of the same. Such recalcitrance to abide by the law and defiance of the court’s orders cannot merit anything less than a sentence,” said the court in its order dated May 18 on a contempt petition by the New Delhi Nature Society.

“In the circumstances, respondent nos. 2 (executive engineer concerned of PWD) and 3 (engineer-in-chief, PWD) are hereby sentenced under Section 12 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, to undergo simple imprisonment for a period of four months and two months respectively, along with fine of `2000 each,” the court ordered.