'Covering Up Facts Regarding LG's Visit', Says SC; Pulls Up DDA In Illegal Tree Felling

A Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan also directed the Delhi government and the civic agencies to convene a meeting regarding comprehensive measures to enhance the city's green cover.

New Delhi:The Supreme Court on Wednesday pulled up the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) for not giving information regarding the visit of Delhi's lieutenant governor (LG) at the site where trees were cut in violation of court orders.

A bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan also directed the Delhi government and the civic agencies to convene a meeting regarding comprehensive measures to enhance the city's green cover. The bench pointed out that people are feeling the heat as tree cover is lost.

During the hearing, senior advocate Maninder Singh, representing the DDA Vice Chairman, contended that the authority is trying to locate the records regarding the LG's visit. The bench said it does not appreciate that the authority cannot even find the simple thing and further queried, has the Vice Chairman inquired with the concerned department, called for reports or asked the officers, who were present in the meeting?

The bench said the email on record says that the LG had visited and the DDA should have looked into the matter. "You are only protecting the higher-ups and blaming the lower officers," observed the bench. The DDA’s counsel said that the LG did not visit the site where trees were cut, and that he had visited a different site.

The bench said that the DDA could not obtain information regarding the site visit of the LG on February 3, 2024, and, on DDA’s counsel request for more time, added that “we don't think that the request for time to find such simple information is bona fide."

The bench issued notice to an officer, who was present at the time of the LG's visit and directed him to file an affidavit as to what exactly transpired and if any directions were issued by LG. The bench told the DDA that the truth in the matter must come out.

The top court said it expects the forest department and tree authority to keep a vigil on the activity of illegal damaging of trees in the national capital. "Considering the illegal and high-ended acts of the felling of trees, we issue notice to the government of Delhi, Forest and Environment Department, Tree Authority, MCD and DDA," said the bench.

The apex court directed the secretary of the Forest Department to convene a meeting of all these officers in the presence of the expert committee appointed to discuss the comprehensive measures for enhancing the green cover of the national capital.

On Monday, the Supreme Court had said that brazen acts of tree felling in the national capital cannot be brushed aside lightly and asked the DDA, whether the illegal cutting of trees in Delhi's ridge forest was carried on the direction issued by the LG of Delhi.

The apex court had made it clear that it wants a "clear" statement from DDA whether trees in the ridge area were cut on LG's orders without the court's permission. "We direct the Vice Chairman to state before the court about whether any official record is available regarding the site visit of the Lieutenant Governor on February 3 and on what transpired on the visit of the LG," said the bench.

"If the authorities are not performing their statutory and constitutional duties of protecting the environment, the court has to give a clear and loud signal to all authorities that the environment cannot be damaged in such a fashion," observed the bench.

Earlier, the apex court had issued a notice of criminal contempt against DDA Vice-Chairman Subhasish Panda for allowing a large-scale felling of trees in the southern Ridge's Satbari area to construct a road from Chattarpur to South Asian University.