AAP questions BJP’s ‘silence’ on tree felling in Ridge area | India News

The Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday questioned the BJP’s silence on “illegal” tree felling in the ridge region, and said the party’s stand on Delhi’s pollution was nothing but “politics”.

Addressing a press conference, senior AAP leader Jasmine Shah said that ever since the issue surfaced, the BJP and Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena have maintained “silence” on it.

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“BJP is the first to play politics on the issue of pollution and shed crocodile tears over it. They have blocked many works of the Delhi government on the issue of pollution. Why are they silent?” he asked.

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) allegedly cut down 1,100 trees without permission. The Supreme Court, hearing a case related to the matter, has asked the Delhi government and civic agencies to discuss comprehensive measures to improve the city’s green cover.

Shah also asked whether officials of the DDA and the forest department were under pressure from their superiors over the matter. He claimed that the officials had been asked to appear before a three-member inquiry committee constituted by Environment Minister Gopal Rai, but they had chosen not to appear.

In an act of defiance, the principal secretary of the environment and forest department on Monday questioned the formation of the Delhi government’s inquiry committee, saying it violated rules and could lead to contempt of court proceedings.

The committee, comprising ministers Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj and Imran Hussain, was formed following a decision taken at a meeting of Delhi government ministers on June 29 to review the felling of 1,100 trees in the Southern Ridge area by the DDA, allegedly without due permission.