Clarify if lieutenant governor ordered felling of 1,100 trees: SC to Delhi Development Authority
The bench noted that email communications referred to a site visit by VK Saxena on February 3 following which he allegedly issued directions to cut the trees.
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The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Delhi Development Authority to clarify if the orders to cut nearly 1,100 trees in the national capital’s Ridge forest was carried out based on the direction issued by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, Bar and Bench reported.
Saxena is the chairperson of the Delhi Development Authority.
A division bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan was hearing a suo motu contempt case initiated against Delhi Development Authority Vice Chairperson Subhashish Panda for the felling of trees in violation of previous orders of the court, reported Live Law.
The court took note of a report by a committee constituted by the Delhi Development Authority that investigated the cutting of trees. The bench noted that email communications referred to a site visit made by Saxena on February 3 following which directions were allegedly issued by him to cut the trees.
The court also observed that the committee had not investigated the contents of the email and had entirely blamed three officers of the Delhi Development Authority.
“We are dealing with a very serious issue,” the court told Senior Advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for the Delhi Development Authority. “1,100 trees, are you taking it very casually? Ask your officer who issued these directions. Is it the chairman? Then we are making...
