New Delhi, Oct 1 (UNI) Delhi Environment Minister and senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Gopal Rai on Tuesday alleged that Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena abruptly called off the national capital government’s tree plantation drive, ‘Harit Kalash Yatra’, despite prior approval.
Addressing the media, Rai said, “The way the Lieutenant Governor (LG) issued a sudden decree through the Delhi Police is unfortunate.
Notably, the Delhi Police interfered with a campaign that the Delhi Government had initiated to control pollution. An awareness campaign was organized in Connaught Place today in the form of a tree plantation drive.”
Calling the LG’s decision a ‘tughlaqi farman’ (draconian decree), he said, “Around 1,500 women from various parts of Delhi gathered for a ‘Harit Kalash Yatra’. Despite having police permission, once the women arrived and began the procession, the police abruptly showed up and cancelled the program even before I arrived.”
Criticizing the LG for his lack of concern for protecting Delhi’s green cover, Rai alleged, “The LG cut down thousands of trees without permission, but when the Delhi Government organizes a public awareness campaign for tree plantation, he issues an arbitrary order to stop it, despite prior approval.
I want to ask the LG what thought he put behind this decision. This was an event organized by the Delhi Government, thoroughly coordinated among the environment department, police, and district magistrates.”
“The Commissioner of Police issued an order yesterday to curtail public gatherings without any reasoning. All the people had already gathered, and yet the police forcibly cancelled it, forcing the women to go away. This is extremely unfortunate,” he said.
“Crime is increasing all over Delhi, but instead of catching gangsters, the police are using their force to stop a tree plantation drive with full force. There is nothing more shameful than this. The LG, who has cut down more than a thousand trees, should have been leading a tree plantation drive himself,” Rai said.
“At the very least, he should feel responsible for increasing greenery. This situation shows the thinking of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). After this sudden decree, the BJP has remained silent, which is even more disgraceful,” the Minister added.
He further urged the LG to immediately withdraw this order and cooperate in the Delhiites’ fight against pollution, rather than issuing such decrees.
