Lack of demarcation holding ridge notifications, NGT told

The final notification of Delhi's central, northern and south-central Ridge under the Indian Forest Act, 1927, cannot be done as the demarcation of these forests remains pending, the Delhi forest and wildlife department told the National Green Tribunal (NGT) citing ongoing litigations on forest land and multiplicity of agencies that need to carry out the groundwork of demarcation exercise.

- Jasjeev Gandhiok

NEW DELHI:

Delhi's ridges were notified in 1994 under Section 4 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927, declaring the total area as a protected forest. However, the final notification is to be done under Section 20 of the Act, which grants complete protection and defines the boundaries.

A final notification gives a forest area protection from future encroachments. In the absence of one, they remain vulnerable.

The forest department said that multiple agencies, including the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Land And Development Office (L&DO) and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), need to carry out the groundwork and that it has written to the revenue department for a joint inspection and subsequent demarcation to issue the final notification.