Wasn't aware permission needed: Delhi Lt Governor to top court on tree felling

Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena said that he believed that permission to cut the trees was necessary only from the forest department and hence, he approved the proposal.

In Short

• Saxena filed affidavit in Supreme Court on illegal tree felling in Ridge area
• Saxena says he thought only forest department's permission was required
• Says officials responsible for sanctioning tree felling identified, action initiated

Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena told the Supreme Court in an affidavit on Wednesday that he was "not aware" that he needed the court's permission for felling of trees in Delhi's Ridge area.

The Supreme Court had asked Saxena to file an affidavit if he was aware that 1,100 trees were cut in the Ridge area without the court's permission and detailing the action taken by him on this issue.

Saxena said in the affidavit that no one present at the site informed him about legal permission for felling of the trees.

The Lieutenant Governor said that he was informed that permission for felling and translocation of trees was awaited from the competent authority, following which he directed the officials to expedite the project.

He said that he believed that permission to cut the trees was necessary only from the forest department and hence, he approved the proposal.

He further stated that he became aware of the fact that the court's permission was required to fell the trees only in March 2024, when a proposal from the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) was received for the constitution of a committee of experts following the Supreme Court's directions.

"Though a mistake, the work done by them was bona fide in the interest of public good," the Lieutenant Governor said.

Saxena, who is also the chairperson of the DDA, further said that the body has already constituted a committee to investigate the case, which carried out a detailed inquiry with all concerned officials and the contractor.

He further said that officials responsible for permitting the felling of trees have been identified and action has been initiated against them.

"Officers have been found to have instructed/allowed the tree cutting to take place on their own accord," he said in the affidavit.

The Lieutenant Governor requested the top court to drop the contempt case initiated against DDA vice chairperson as he was being treated at AIIMS from February 16 to February 26.

Saxena further said that the vice chairperson was not present at the site when the Lieutenant Governor inspected it on February 3 this year due to his "official preoccupations".

He further submitted that a total of 174 trees have been cut in the non-forest area and 468 trees felled in the forest area for widening of the road in the Ridge area.