Ensure afforestation in Central Ridge not defeated by cattle intrusion: Delhi HC to DDA

The High Court here has asked the Delhi Development Authority to ensure the afforestation and tree-plantation carried out in the Central Ridge area is not defeated by cattle intrusion, saying the ridge could well be nurtured as a green lung for the city.

Justice Najmi Waziri noted that approximately 46,000 trees have been planted in the area under court orders in the past about four years, and added that difficulties being faced in the notified green areas under the authority need to be addressed immediately.

The stationing of cattle inside the forest area itself is a self-defeating exercise by the Forest Department and the DDA, it said.

The court sought the presence of the Director (Horticulture), DDA on the next date to apprise it about the steps taken to ensure and augment the green cover. The court said it has to be ensured that no harm is caused to the tree plantation and the rejuvenation exercise being carried out in the Central Ridge in forest land and areas under DDA's management. “Therefore, DDA shall ensure that the exercise undertaken under the directions of this court for afforestation/tree plantation in the Central Ridge, is not defeated by intrusion of cattle into land under its management,” the court said in a recent order. It asked the DDA director concerned to coordinate with the DCP and other agencies as may be required for ensuring that the cattle are removed from the area under DDA's care. “Assistance in this regard shall be provided by Deputy Commissioner of Police promptly.” “It is a matter of record that more than a quarter of a million of trees have been planted in the forest areas i.e., in the Central Ridge (approximately 46,000 trees) and the Southern Ridge (about 2,10,000 trees) under court orders in the past about four years, through costs imposed upon the parties in hundreds of cases. “Happily, some of the trees have attained a height of 27ft. The survival rate of the trees is said to be 100% in the areas under the management of the Forest Department, GNCTD. The flora and fauna status is said to have improved significantly. The difficulties being faced in the notified green areas, under the management of DDA, need to be addressed immediately because the Central Ridge could well be nurtured as a green lung for this part of Delhi,” it said. The Delhi Police counsel told the court that to ensure there is no ingress of cattle into the protected area any further, police officers have been stationed at the places where the DDA boundary wall had been breached. The court said it remained unanswered as to whether the ingress into the forest area was protected from all sides. “…and insofar as some cattle are stationed inside the forest area itself, it is a self-defeating exercise by the Forest Department and the DDA to afforest and rejuvenate the Central Ridge, with the stray cattle simultaneously chomping-away at the nascent trees and other greenery,” it said.

The court also asked the respondent authorities to file an affidavit concerning the forest land available with the Forest Department of Delhi government.

The court further noted the DDA is stated to have initiated an exercise of desilting the lakes in the Dasghara area and asked the authority to file the photographs of each of the three identified lakes as well as the lakes which have become dry along with the proposal to rejuvenate them. Plantation of suitable trees would be undertaken in the next two weeks in consultation with scientists from the Centre for Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystems, New Delhi, it added. The matter would be heard next on May 13.

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