Noida: Mayawati's top men were out to impress the Supreme Court as the three-member special committee appointed by the apex court inspected a memorial being built in Noida.
Last month, when a team from the Centre had come here, hardly any UP government official had turned up. But on Thursday, with the SC appointed committee, even the top brass of the state government were out, not wanting to rub them the wrong way.
The entire park is being built at a cost of Rs 685 crore and 6,000 trees have been cut down to make way for statues of Mayawati and Kanshi Ram.
The officials of the UP government claim that no laws were broken, but the memorial is right next to the Okhla bird park and wildlife sanctuary.
Prior permission is required from the Centre for any major construction within 10 kilometers of the sanctuary. But no such permission was taken.
The committee, which spent two hours inspecting the site, also heard from several residents who had petitioned the court against the memorial park.
"They gave a remarkable presentation. They tried to say that all that they have done has sanction. But the committee has asked for all of this in writing and also to show the permissions," said K V Jaswal, a petitioner.
The committee will submit its report to the Supreme Court in a week's time, but that's not holding Mayawati back. She has already asked the UP Assembly to sanction an additional Rs 350 crore to set up more such memorials across the state.