Discrepancy on when Lt-Guv learnt about tree felling, says SC

Perplexed at certain discrepancies in the statements of Delhi Lt-Governor VK Saxena and former Delhi Development Authority Vice-Chairman Subhashis Panda on illegal tree felling in Ridge, the Supreme Court on Thursday asked them to file fresh affidavits spelling out the exact time they got to know about the felling of trees for widening an approach road.

While the L-G, who is the DDA Chairman, had said he got information about tree felling in June, a letter by Panda stated that he had informed Saxena about the “blunder of tree felling” in April, pointed out senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan on behalf of the petitioners.

A three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud asked both of them to make specific disclosure as to when they came to know about tree felling in the Ridge area for widening an approach road to the under-construction Central Armed Police Forces Institute of Medical Sciences.

The Bench, which also included Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra, called for original records related to permission for tree felling. The matter is expected to be taken after Diwali break.

Terming it “hair splitting of the incident” by the petitioners, senior advocate Vikas Singh said on behalf of Saxena there was no exact date when he came to know about tree felling and sought the court’s permission to file a better affidavit.

In his affidavit, Saxena had stated that he was not made aware of the need for a prior permission for felling of trees in the Ridge area and necessary legal action had been initiated against the erring officials of the DDA.

The LG had submitted that he had learnt about the development only after the incident of felling of trees took place between February 16 and February 26. The intimation, he said, came via a letter by the DDA Vice-Chairman on June 10.