PWD official's 'lie' on cutting of trees invites ire of NGT

The "lie" of a Public Works Department (PWD) official that no trees were cut while widening a road through a South Delhi residential area today raised hackles of the National Green Tribunal which came down heavily on him for trying to "mislead" the forum.
A bench headed by Tribunal (NGT) Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar told the PWD official, an Executive Engineer, that while he claimed no trees were uprooted, the Forest Department has said that 48 trees were cut down during the widening of the road.
"The Forest Department says 48 trees were cut and you say none. How dare you lie before us? You better not tell lies," the bench said and directed the official to produce all the records, including the plan or tender, pertaining to the road widening project by May 20, the next date of hearing," it said.

The bench expressed anguish over the official's actions when the officil said he had no documents to substantiate his stand.
"Has he come here for a picnic?," Justice Kumar asked the counsel appearing for the PWD and added, "You are coming here without any papers with you?"
"Executive Engineer, PWD ZONE-1, is present before us. He says no trees were felled for construction and widening of road. However, he has brought no record to substantiate his stand.

"...We are anguished at behaviour of the official who we believe is trying to mislead this tribunal," the NGT said.
The tribunal was hearing an application filed by Sonya Ghosh, a resident of the South Delhi colony where the road widening is being done, alleging that several hundred trees were felled without any permission.

"Hundreds of trees have been felled without obtaining permission of the Forest Department," advocate Parul Gupta, appearing for Ghosh, said and also produced images obtained from Google to show how much area has been cleared.
The bench, after going through the records placed before it, said, "Grievance (of applicant) is substantiated by submission of Forest Department and Delhi government that road widening is in progress in that area without the leave of the forest department.