Want to expand Ridge board, Centre tells SC

The Centre has proposed expanding Delhi's current Ridge Management Board (RMB) to include more members and broaden its representation - aiming to streamline decision-making, tighten oversight, and strengthen conservation efforts in one of the city's most ecologically sensitive zones.

- Abraham Thomas

This expanded board, as per the proposal, will encompass additional officials and experts from the Union and Delhi governments, police, civic bodies, among others.

The proposal, filed by the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC) on Tuesday, follows the Supreme Court's suggestion in August for creating a singlewindow clearance system for all permissions related to tree-felling and developmental activities on Ridge land. Currently, the Ridge is fragmented among multiple agencies, leading to overlapping jurisdictions and frequent conflicts over control.