New Delhi [India], June 24 (ANI): Delhi Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bharadwaj on Monday said that Delhi's Lieutenant Governor Vinay Kumar Saxena got "exposed" in the Supreme Court for ordering the illegal cutting of 1,100 trees in protected Ridge area in the national capital.
"Trees are very significant. In Delhi, kids are made to swear to plant and save trees. Despite planting a lakh trees, merely a thousand of them could survive. In such a case, if there's some greenery left in Delhi, this is because of our courts, especially the Supreme Court. Now, we have come across a case that has shocked the people of Delhi", Bharadwaj said while addressing the media here in the national capital.
"LG 'Saab' got exposed in the honourable Supreme Court for ordering the illegal cutting of trees in the protected Ridge area near Chhattarpur's Satbari. A conspiracy took place, on February 3, the Delhi Lieutenant Governor, who is also the Chairman of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), visited the Satbari area in Delhi's Chhattarpur, which comes under the ridge area and after that, 1,100 full-grown trees were cut without any permission. If such a large number of trees were cut, everyone would know about it. But everyone remained silent, an NGO raised questions about it", he added.
The Delhi minister further said that trees had been cut down even before permission was sought.
"Later, the DDA went to court for permission in this matter and the Supreme Court rejected the permission on March 4. However, the NGO that went to the Supreme Court in May said that 1,100 trees had been cut even before permission was sought. This was contempt of court. In May, the court reprimanded DDA and imposed a criminal charge on the VC of DDA", Saurabh Bharadwaj said.
"Today the court asked the DDA who permitted to cut 1,100 trees. The court quoted the paper as saying that Delhi's Lieutenant Governor Vinay Kumar Saxena secretly got 1,100 trees belonging to the people of Delhi cut down, without any written order. It is only said on the file that the Lieutenant Governor's order has come, to cut 1100 trees", he added.
Taking a fierce jibe at LG Saxena, Bharadwaj said, "Chori, Sinajori aur Shadyantra, woh bhi court ke saath. (Theft and conspiracy, that too, before the court)".
Bharadwaj also demanded the LG's resignation on "moral grounds".
"I think he should resign on moral grounds. He has no moral right to hold the post of LG for a single day", he said.
This comes at a time when the national capital is juggling with water shortage in several areas due to the scorching heat waves and soaring temperatures.
Senior Aam Admi Party leader (AAP) and Water Minister of Delhi, Atishi, has been on an indefinite hunger strike since June 21 and is protesting against the center over water issues.
According to AAP leader Atishi, her strike will persist until Haryana provides Delhi's water rights and opens the Hathnikund Barrage gates. (ANI)
