New Delhi: Leaders and workers of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) staged a protest near the BJP office on DDU Marg over the alleged felling of 1,100 trees in Delhi’s Southern Ridge area. The protesters, some of whom wore face masks of Delhi LG VK Saxena, also carried pieces of saw and tree stumps and formed a human chain. They alleged that the lieutenant governor of the BJP-led Centre was responsible for felling the trees in the protected forest area in the ridge. The Supreme Court, which has been moved in the case of felling of 1,100 trees near Satbari in Southern Ridge, has come down heavily on both LG VK Saxena and the AAP government.

The AAP has alleged that the trees were felled for a road widening project by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on “verbal instructions” from the LG. The BJP has alleged that the trees were felled after approval from Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Environment Minister Gopal Rai.