Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has told the Supreme Court he was not aware that the court’s permission was needed for the felling of trees in the capital’s Ridge area, an extension of the Aravallis. His submission came in a personal affidavit ahead of Wednesday’s hearing.
The court had asked Mr Saxena, who is also the chairperson of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), to submit a personal affidavit explaining what steps are being taken to fix responsibility for the alleged illegal felling of over 600 trees.
The court had asked the Lieutenant Governor to specify if there was any discussion about permission for cutting trees and when he came to know about the requirement of court permission.
Mr Saxena said in his affidavit he had visited the Ridge area where a medical facility is set to come up for the CAPF, on February 3. During this visit, he took into account the importance and necessity of the project as well as the resources already invested in it.
While returning, he stopped at the site of road widening, but no one present at the site brought to his notice that the court’s permission was needed to fell trees there, the affidavit read.
The Supreme Court is hearing a contempt case against some DDA and Delhi government officials over the axing of trees. It had said that if the chairperson agrees, criminal action must be taken against the officers responsible for the tree cutting.
