Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has informed the Supreme Court that he was unaware that permission was required for the felling of trees in the Ridge area, an extension of the Aravallis. This statement was made in a personal affidavit submitted prior to a court hearing concerning the alleged illegal cutting of over 600 trees. The court, which is addressing a contempt case related to this matter, has asked Saxena—who also serves as the chairperson of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA)—to outline the actions being taken to hold accountable those responsible for the deforestation.
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In his affidavit, Saxena recounted his visit to the Ridge area on February 3, where plans for a medical facility for armed forces are underway. He stated that while he stopped to inspect the site of road widening, none of the individuals present informed him of the requirement for court permission to fell trees. The Supreme Court has indicated that should the chairperson acknowledge accountability, it may pursue criminal action against the officials involved in the tree cutting.
