The Supreme Court has slammed the Delhi government for granting permission to the Delhi Development Authority to chop 422 trees in the Southern Ridge's reserve forest area for the construction of a road, noting that it has shown lack of sensitivity over protecting the environment.
"The Delhi government must take the blame for granting permission to fell 422 trees, though there was no statutory power vesting in it to grant such permission," the two-judge bench of the top court, led by Justice Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan, said in its July 12 order uploaded on the SC website.
The top court also added that apart from trees in the ridge area, the government also facilitated cutting and felling of trees outside the area without permission under the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994.
The top court asked the Delhi government to file an affidavit narrating what measures the forest department is taking to prevent environmental damage, including keeping vigil to stop the illegal felling of trees.
The top court was hearing suo motu (on its own) contempt proceedings against the vice chairman of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) over alleged cutting of 1,100 trees in the ridge forest for a road widening project.
Stating that the Delhi government displayed a lack of sensitivity, the bench said it has not even provided the tree officer and the tree authority an office or basic infrastructure.
The Supreme Court in its hearing on Friday also expressed strong disapproval over the attempts by authorities to cover up the involvement of Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena in the felling of trees in the ridge area. The court directed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to clarify whether the decision to cut the trees was based on the LG's oral permission or if the agency acted independently.
It also criticized senior state officials for not highlighting the need for court permission for felling trees in the ridge area and a tree officer's permission for other areas.