The Supreme Court on Thursday said a tree census will be carried out in Delhi and the central empowered committee would approve any request for felling 50 trees or more.

A bench comprising Justices A S Oka and Augustine George Masih asked the Delhi Tree Authority to involve the Forest Research Institute (FRI) and assistance from experts for the census.

"Trees are very important part of our environment. The precautionary principle requires the government to anticipate and prevent and eradicate causes of environmental degradation including to act sternly against the violators," the bench said.

The direction said after a permission to fell 50 or more trees was granted by the tree officer, it wouldn't be acted upon unless approved by the CEC.

The tree census will be carried with the assistance of three experts -- retired IFS officers Ishwar Singh and Sunil Limaye aside from tree expert Pradeep Singh.

The bench directed the CEC to consider the documents for tree felling and decide whether to grant permission or any modification was required.

"On receipt of the documents, it will be open for CEC to call upon tree officer to get additional documents. CEC will consider the application and all other aspect and will decide whether permission deserves to be granted or be granted with some terms and conditions. We make it clear that while granting permission to felling of 50 or more trees, unless the thing is exceptional, the condition should be imposed as to planting of trees else permission for felling should not be proceed," the bench said.

The apex court on December 18 observed the laws on trees were for saving and not cutting them and indicated passing orders on the census and steps to save them.

The issues stem from a PIL of environmentalist MC Mehta filed in 1985. The bench had recently criticised the Delhi government for the lack of progress in taking steps to enhance the green cover and said it would appoint an external agency to suggest measures for its enhancement.

On December 9, the bench proposed to appoint an agency, which could suggest steps towards enhancing the national capital's depleting green cover. It had highlighted the need for a census of trees in the national capital and said it wanted to create an authority to supervise the work carried out by the tree officer.

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