'GOVT TO VERIFY VILLAGES BEFORE NOTIFYING SOUTH DELHI RIDGE'

The Delhi government's department of forests and wildlife has informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that it has begun an on-ground verification across 12 villages in the Southern Ridge, which will pave the way for final notification under Section 20 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927.

- Aheli Das

Sharing detailed timelines which will see verification be completed across a majority of the villages before year-end, the department in its affidavit said that a detailed demarcation was last carried out in 2019.

This comes in compliance with a July 4 NGT directive. Delhi's Ridge areas have already been notified under Section 4 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927. However, the final notification under Section 20 is yet to be completed, which grants complete protection and defines the boundaries.