Making its intention of getting to the root of the matter clear, the Supreme Court on Wednesday rapped not only the Delhi Development Authority but also the Delhi government for illegal tree cutting in the ridge area, which is an extension of the Aravallis. Ordering criminal action against the DDA officials responsible for the lapse, the court said there had been “a fantastic lapse” on the part of the Delhi government, under whom the Tree Authority is supposed to function.
While the allegation is that 1,100 trees have been cut in the area, the DDA has said that the number is 630 and the felling was done for the widening of a road.
The court also used a Sherlock Holmes reference and wondered why “the dog didn’t bark” when the timber from the felled trees was taken away, hinting that there may be some inside involvement.
Continuing from the last hearing where the court had asked whether Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena had ordered the cutting of the trees, the court said the DDA vice-chairman should come to it with clean hands, adding “there cannot be any cover-up, even if something has been done by the highest authority”.
The court’s crackdown and strong comments come at a time when Delhi and the National Capital Region are sizzling under a record heatwave. Pollution, especially in the winter, has also been a problem over the past few years.
Arvind Kejriwal Arrested By CBI In Court, Drops Bail Plea In Supreme Court
