India, June 16 -- The Delhi high court has stayed the operation of a Delhi government notification issued last year that exempted landowners from informing a tree officer before felling trees deemed dangerous to life, property or traffic, terming the move "prima facie contempt".

In an order passed on May 29, justice Jasmeet Singh said the forest department had shown a "clear apathy" and a "shocking state of affairs" by repeatedly failing to comply with directions issued by the court.

The court was hearing a writ petition filed under Section 12 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.

In a notification issued on June 6 last year, the Delhi forest department had stated that if a tree posed a grave danger to life, property or traffic, "the ow...