The PWD's contractor, responsible for a road widening project in Vasant Kunj here, today denied before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) of having violated the stay on felling of trees in that area.
The contractor KCC Buildcon Pvt. Ltd made the submission before a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar while replying to a show cause notice issued against it by the Tribunal on May 28 for allegedly violating NGT's order.
The bench had on May 28 issued the notice to the contractor seeking its response to why action would be not taken against it after the Tribunal was informed by PWD engineers that the company is felling trees in violation of NGT's stay.
The contractor alleged it was the Public Works Department (PWD) which had been forcing it to go ahead with the work despite being informed that there are several hindrances, including presence of trees, in starting the project.
"But the PWD maintained that there is no such problem," the counsel, appearing for the contractor, said, adding if it had not commenced work its contract would have been cancelled and action would have been taken against it.
The contractor in its reply also claimed the few trees that did fall were either cut by the residents of nearby slums or got uprooted during heavy rains.
It also contended the plea against the project was filed as area residents were opposed to the work as the boundary walls of their sectors were being demolished and not because they were worried over felling of trees.
This view was shared by the PWD as well, which said the area residents had encroached upon government land to build lawns and added it can demolish such encroachments under the law.
