Delhi LG unaware of Court's tree cutting permission: Chief Secy to SC
New Delhi: The Chief Secretary of the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, Naresh Kumar, informed the Supreme Court that Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena was not made aware of the necessity to obtain the court's permission for felling trees in the southern Ridge area. This statement was made in an affidavit filed in response to a contempt petition against the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) for illegally cutting trees in the region.
During previous hearings, a bench comprising Justices Abhay S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan observed that official correspondences suggested the trees were felled following oral instructions from the LG during his site visit on February 3. The court had questioned whether the LG was informed of the court's orders requiring permission from the Tree Officer before cutting trees.
The Chief Secretary's affidavit, filed on July 30, clarified that during the LG's visit to the project site, no officials informed him of the legal requirements to obtain court permission. The affidavit emphasized that directives from higher authorities to expedite project completion do not imply bypassing statutory provisions.
Further complicating the issue, the contractor, M/s Satya Prakash and Bros Pvt. Ltd., submitted that they received emails from DDA Engineer-in-Charge Manoj Kumar Yadav, referring to the LG's visit and instructions to clear trees. The court had previously expressed displeasure with the DDA's handling of the situation, indicating an attempt to protect higher-ups.
The matter is part of a broader legal matter, with Justice BR Gavai's bench also initiating contempt proceedings over the tree felling. The Supreme Court continues to seek clarification on the matter.
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
