Tree Felling Case: 'Was Not Informed,' 'DDA VC Was Undergoing Surgery': Delhi LG VK Saxena Tells Supreme Court

Only 642 trees and not 1100 trees were felled in the Delhi Ridge area, LG VK Saxena tells Supreme Court, names three erring officers but gives clean chit to DDA Vice Chairman

The Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena who is also the Chairperson of Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has informed the Supreme Court that he was not informed about the requirement to take court permission for clearing of Ridge Trees for a road widening project. He has further sought an exemption for the DDA vice chairman from the contempt of court case saying that he was undergoing medical surgery at AIIMS on the day of tree felling. 

'Only 642 trees felled, not 1100,' Says LG VK Saxena

While giving names of three officers responsible for the illegal tree felling, LG Saxena has informed the court that only 642 trees and not 1100 trees were felled in the Delhi Ridge area.

 As per the affidavit, the Delhi LG was informed on June 10 of the incident of illegal felling of trees (16 February to 26 February). It further states that the information about requirement of the court permission was furnished to Delhi LG March 21.

Clean Chit To DDA Vice Chairman

He further told the court that the Vice Chairman of DDA was undergoing a medical surgery on February 16 at AIIMS and was not present at the site during the "unfortunate event of felling of trees." And thus requested the Supreme Court to discharge the Vice Chairman from the present contempt proceedings.

What Happened To Timber?

On the whereabouts of the felled timber, LG Saxena informed the top court that after a joint inspection of the wood on July 3, 2024, the timber is now handed over to the Office of Deputy Conservator of Forest and has now been in possession and control of the Forest department of Govt. NCT Delhi.

 He further refuted the petitioner's claim that 1100 tree were cut. It states that 1051 trees were to be affected out of which 422 trees were planned to be cut/transplanted from the non-forest land and 629 trees were proposed to be cut from forest land.

However, 174 trees in non-forest area and 486 trees in the forest area were actually cut, making it a total of 642 trees and not 1100 trees, the affidavitr states.

He further told the court that a set of measures for restoration of the felled trees has also been taken, which includes compliance of earlier directions of trees restoration on CAPFIMS roads, leveling of the road construction site, planting of 170 trees and 400 shrubs at the site along with 200 trees and 500 shrubs to be planted in Guashala Road in coming week.

LG Saxena has further informed the top court that the Supreme Court Central Empowered Committee had granted approval for the CAPFIMS Project through letter dated February 1, 2017 along with the Environmental Clearance and approval of National Board of Wildlife. A permission was also granted to set up the SAARC University. The tree felling in question was done for the road widening project from Main Chhattarpur Road to SAARC Chowk, Gaushala Road Row and from SAARC Chowk to CAPFIMS (Hospital), the affidavit said.

Delhi LG Comes Clean On Site Visit Before Tree Felling

The LG has also answered the top court query on his site visit on February 3. The affidavit in the top court states that on his return from the CAPFIM Hospital site visit on February 3, the LG Saxena stopped at the site of the road widening (tree-felling site). He informed the court that no one present at the said site on the date of the visit, brought to his notice the legal requirement of obtaining permission of Supreme Court for felling of trees. And instead he was only informed that permission for felling is awaited from competent authority, thus the felling has not yet begun.

Three Officers Acted On Their Own Accord

The affidavit further states that DDA's Inquiry Committee has revealed 3 main officers responsible for the illegal felling of the trees 'on their own accord': (i) Shri Manoj Kumar Yadav, Executive Engineer, SMD 5, DDA who instructed the contractor to cut trees; (ii) Shri Pawan Kumar, AE-I, SMD-5, South Zone, Engineering Division, DDA and (iii) Shri Ayush Saraswat, AE-II, SMD-5, South Zone, Engineering Division, DDA.

It further adds that the action of their suspension, disciplinary inquiry have been set out in detail in the affidavit dated June 18, 2024.

On October 16, the Supreme Court after hearing the contempt case against the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) over illegal tree felling of nearly 1100 trees in the Delhi Ridge area, had directed the DDA chairperson (Delhi LG VK Saxena) to file an affidavit by next hearing making full disclosure on the tree felling incident, where is the timber of the trees felled and what disciplinary action has been taken so far to fix accountabilty on the breach.

The top court had said that before they take any action they want the DDA chairperson to take action and file a compliance affidavit in the top court before next hearing. The court further said that the DDA Chairperson appears to be "misled" in the case. The court will resume hearing the case today (October 24).