Forest dept did not give permission to DDA to fell any tree: AAP govt

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New Delhi, Jul 12 (PTI) The AAP government on Friday said the forest department has made it clear in the Supreme Court that no permission has been granted to the Delhi Development Authority for felling any tree.

In a statement, it said the apex court, while hearing a contempt proceeding related to the felling of almost 1,100 trees in the Ridge area of Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary, has expressed shock over the "silence" of senior officers in the matter.

Expressing anguish over continuous cover-up by authorities over the role of L-G V K Saxena in tree felling in the Ridge area, the top court has directed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to inform it whether the order to cut trees was passed based on the L-G's oral permission or the agency independently took the decision.

It was hearing suo motu (on its own) contempt proceedings against the vice chairman of the DDA over the alleged cutting of 1,100 trees in the Ridge forest for a road widening project.

The Delhi government, in the statement, said, "It is interesting to know the Forest Department did make it very clear in the Supreme Court that no permission has been granted for felling any tree by the DDA. Even concerning the felling of 422 trees, no permission was granted." It was only the exemption notification of the L-G dated February 14, 2024, which was published and it was not a permission to cut trees, the Delhi government said.

It said the permission to cut trees is granted under section 9 of the Delhi Preservation Of Trees Act.

"However, this notification (exemption notification) was published under Section 24 of the Preservation of Tree Act. Therefore, it is very clear and the court accepted the fact that there was no permission even for 422 trees which was granted by the Delhi government," it said.

The top court said the Delhi government is equally at fault for chopping down trees in the Ridge area and it must take the blame for illegally granting permission to chop down 422 trees.

It asked the AAP government to come out with a mechanism as to how it will compensate for this illegal cutting of trees. PTI VIT VIT NSD NSD