The Supreme Court will hear this coming Friday an application to restrain the Delhi Development Authority from proceeding with construction of a new sports complex near the Siri Fort auditorium as part of preparations for the Commonwealth Games-2010. On April 4 the "forest bench' of the Court comprising Chief Justice K. G. Balakrishnan, Justice Arijit Pasayat and Justice S. H. Kapadia had stayed construction of a parking lot as part of the sports complex. The petitioner had sought a direction to the DDA not to damage forests near the Siri Fort sports complex for construction of the proposed parking lot. For C'wealth Games Senior counsel and amicus curiae Harish Salve brought to the notice of the Bench on Friday that 836 trees were cut and destroyed overnight by the DDA under the directions of the Commonwealth Games Authority for construction of a 30,000 square metres sports complex. Mr. Salve, who had inspected the area, said only about 100 trees were left now in the forest, which was over 200 years old. Expressing concern over the manner in which the Capital's forest cover was being removed one after another, Mr. Salve said if the DDA's action was bona fide there was no need for cutting the trees overnight. He said the Court should direct the DDA to impose exemplary costs for destroying the forest. Opposing the plea, Additional Solicitor-General Amarendra Saran said necessary permission had been obtained before cutting the trees and compensatory tree planting had been done. He said the Government was already working against the deadline for the Commonwealth Games and "we cannot stop the Games. We are building an international standards sports stadium in that area. Several alternative suggestions were considered and only thereafter this area was selected'. The Bench agreed to hear the matter on May 9.