Should've been told on first day L-G gave order to cut trees: Supreme Court on tree felling in ridge

New Delhi: Expressing anguish over continuous cover up by authorities over the role of LG V K Saxena in tree felling in ridge area, the Supreme Court on Friday directed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to inform it whether the order to cut trees was passed on basis of LG's oral permission or the agency independently took the decision.

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

Observing that there was a complete non-application of mind by Delhi LG in granting permission for felling of trees, a bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan said it should have been informed on the first day of the hearing itself that the LG already had issued directions for tree felling.

"What troubles us is that everybody has committed a mistake. First day, everybody should have come to the court and said there is a mistake by us. But cover up goes on and on. After four or five orders, truth comes out in the from of DDA officer's affidavit. All have committed the mistake including the Lieutenant Governor. Sorry state of affairs," the bench said.

The apex court said it realised about the role of LG in the matter when the Attorney General R Venkataramani appeared on his own and said," It was sufficient indication.

The top court said Delhi government is equally at fault in chopping of trees in the ridge area and it must take the blame of 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 this illegal cutting of tree.

Perusing the two affidavits filed by vice-chairman of DDA, the bench said prima facie, it appears to us that there was reluctance on the part of all concerned to bring on record what exactly transpired during LG's visit to the site on February 3, 2024 when the oral order for tree cutting was given.

"It appears that LG stated that tree felling under the tree act has already been permitted on the basis of approval granted by him and therefore DDA should be informed about approval.

"Most unfortunate part is that though all senior officials of the state government were present, none of them pointed out the requirement of taking permission of court for felling trees in ridge area and for permission of tree officer for felling trees in other areas," the bench said while issuing notice to the contractor and seeking an explanation on whose direction tree felling was done.

The top court also directed the Delhi government to file an affidavit stating on whose order of seizure of logs has been passed and asked the contractor to tell the location of felled trees.

"The authorities shall come with a plan to keep constant surveillance so that instances of illegal tree felling are brought to the notice of authorities immediately," the bench said.

The apex court had earlier issued a notice of criminal contempt against DDA vice chairman Subhasish Panda for allowing large-scale felling of trees in the southern Ridge's Satbari area to construct a road from Chhattarpur to South Asian University.