AAP steps up attack on Delhi L-G, holds protest over ‘illegal Ridge massacre’

“The Supreme Court has been repeatedly asking the Delhi Development Authority on whose orders it cut down 1,100 trees illegally. But DDA officers were busy concealing the truth behind this… none of them told the Supreme Court the L-G visited the Ridge area and gave verbal instructions to cut the trees,” Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj alleged.

“If they had taken about 5-10% of land from every farmhouse, then the road could have been widened without harming the trees but instead of doing this, the trees of the Ridge were cut to benefit the owners of the farmhouses,” he further claimed.

In response, a senior government official contended that “it was not the L-G’s permission, that was misread by the DDA.” The official also said “notification for exemption was issued by the Department of Environment and Forests on 14.02.243. Permission was issued by Tree Officer on 15.02.24.”

Meanwhile, Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav, demanding the constitution of the special committee, alleged that the erosion of the city’s tree cover was responsible for extreme changes in the climate profile of the Capital. “The probe should also cover how trees have been transplanted under a policy decision taken in 2018… the Sheila Dikshit-led Congress government had imposed a strict policy against tree felling and took great pains and initiative to enhance the Capital’s tree cover,” he said.

Alleging there was “huge corruption” behind the unauthorised tree felling in the area, Yadav said “a scam was at play” as he demanded action against everyone involved.