Delhi govt grants Reserved Forest status to 673 hectares of Central Ridge

The Delhi government has granted Reserved Forest status to over 670 hectares of the Central Ridge area under the Indian Forest Act, to strengthen environmental protection, biodiversity conservation and pollution control in the national capital. With the latest notification, a total of 4,754.14 hectares of Ridge areas in Delhi have now been granted Reserved Forest status, she added.

The Delhi government has granted Reserved Forest status to over 670 hectares of the Central Ridge area under the Indian Forest Act, to strengthen environmental protection, biodiversity conservation and pollution control in the national capital. According to an official statement issued on Saturday, the notified area falls under the Western Forest Division and covers parts around Sardar Patel Marg and the President's Estate. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the decision marked a major step towards protecting Delhi's ecologically sensitive Ridge areas, often described as the ''green lungs'' of the city. ''With commitment and determination, our government has declared nearly 673.32 hectares of the Central Ridge area as Reserved Forest,'' Gupta said. The notification would provide stronger statutory protection to the area and help prevent encroachments, illegal activities and ecological degradation, she added. The Reserved Forest status has been granted under Section 20 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927. In the Reserved areas, activities including hunting, grazing, etc, are banned unless specific orders are issued. This decision reflects our commitment towards environmental conservation, expansion of green cover, and securing a safe and balanced future for the coming generations. The process of granting final legal protection to the Ridge areas had remained pending despite their initial notification in 1994 under Section 4 of the Act, she said, adding that the declaration completed an important process that had been pending for more than three decades. The Central Ridge stretches along both sides of Upper Ridge Road and forms part of the ancient Aravalli hill system, the statement said. Gupta said the Ridge plays a key role in improving air quality, conserving biodiversity, strengthening groundwater levels and mitigating the impact of climate change and urban pollution. Around 4,080.82 hectares of the Southern Ridge area had been declared a Reserved Forest on October 24 last year, Gupta said, adding that the government is expediting the process of notifying the remaining Ridge areas in Delhi as Reserved Forests. With the latest notification, a total of 4,754.14 hectares of Ridge areas in Delhi have now been granted Reserved Forest status, she added. According to the statement, the government also plans large-scale plantation of native tree species, including neem, peepal, shisham, jamun, tamarind and mango, in suitable areas across the Ridge.