Revoke permission to cut trees, Delhi government tells L-G
New Delhi, July 3: Delhi Environment and Forest Minister Imran Hussain on Tuesday said the AAP government had written to Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal to seek revocation of permission to cut trees for redevelopment projects in south Delhi.
Talking to reporters here, the Minister said that a penalty should be imposed on user agency for alleged violations in redevelopment projects in Kidwai Nagar, Nauroji Nagar and Netaji Nagar.
"A note has been forwarded to the L-G, recommending revocation of tree cutting permission in all General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA) colonies under the redevelopment projects and for taking penal action against user agency for various violations," Hussain said.
"The project in Kidwai Nagar, for which permission was given in 2013-14, was almost ready, but no re-plantation drive was taken up. The permission was given for cutting of about 5,600 trees for the three projects, of which 3,300 were chopped. But no re-plantation has been done," the Minister said.
In the note, Hussain wrote that the agency had "failed" to carry out necessary compensatory tree plantation and in making available a site to the city Forest Department for the same, which amounts to "violation of the National Green Tribunal's orders".
"As per media reports, Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has announced that the NBCC and his Ministry are redesigning the entire project to ensure no further cutting of trees. Hence, permissions given so far are redundant.
"Hence, the GNCTD (Delhi government) has decided to revoke all permissions granted so far in respect of unfelled trees," Hussain wrote.
He also "recommended that tree cutting permission to the user agency may be revoked in all these GPRA colonies and penal action as per the law may be initiated."
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia also said actions should be taken against those involved in violation of rules.
"There were violations of rules. There is a court order that if one tree is chopped, 10 should be planted. When the Minister checked, it was found that re-plantation has not been started.
"Even the land for re-plantation was not handed over to the Forest Department. Due to these reasons, it has been decided to revoke the permission order for these projects. The file for the same has been forwarded to the L-G," Sisodia said.
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'Godman' Kharat held in 8th sexual exploitation case; court denies police remand, sends him to jail
Nashik (PTI): Police took custody of self-proclaimed godman-cum-astrologer Ashok Kharat in an eighth case related to sexual exploitation of women and produced him before a Nashik district court which sent him to jail till May 12 after rejecting the plea for his police remand on Thursday.
On April 29, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Nashik police in north Maharashtra filed a request application in the court demanding Kharat's custody in the eighth case.
After the court granted them the necessary permission, the SIT took custody of Kharat, who was in jail in connection with the seventh case of sexual exploitation registered against him.
The 'godman', named in a dozen FIRs related to rape and financial fraud, was produced before Chief Judicial Magistrate B N Ichpurani in the eighth case through video conferencing due to security reasons.
The eighth case related to Kharat allegedly sexually exploiting a woman who had approached him in search of solutions to her family problems, according to police.
During the hearing, the prosecution demanded police custody of the accused in the latest case.
However, the defence strongly opposed the demand and argued that the SIT was giving same reasons for police custody every time and there was no strong reason for accepting their plea.
The court accepted the argument put forth by the defence and remanded Kharat to judicial custody till May 12 in the eighth case.
The SIT will produce Kharat in the court on Friday again and seek his police custody in the ninth case. As the self-styled godman has been granted judicial custody in the eighth case, he will be sent to Nashik Road Central Jail and the SIT will take his custody from there.
Meanwhile, Kharat's judicial custody in the fourth case ended on Thursday. On April 18, the accused was remanded to judicial custody till April 30 in the fourth case of sexual exploitation of women.
In a related development, the SIT conducted a search at Kharat's office in the 'Canada Corner' area of Nashik city on Wednesday. A 'panchnama' (record of search and seizure proceedings) was conducted and the office was locked and sealed again.
Kharat, a well-heeled man with political connections, was arrested for the first time on March 18 after a woman alleged he had repeatedly raped her for three years.
He is accused of sexually exploiting several women by claiming to have divine powers and knowledge of black magic, and also committing large-scale financial fraud.
The SIT is conducting a probe into 12 cases of sexual exploitation and financial fraud registered against the astrologer in Nashik and Ahilyanagar districts.
