673 hectares of Central Ridge granted reserved forest status by Delhi CM Rekha Gupta
New Delhi, May 9 (IANS) The Rekha Gupta-led Delhi government has declared 673.32 hectares of the Central Ridge as a Reserved Forest under Section 20 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927, a move that will curb human activities in the area, expand green cover, and control pollution, an official said on Saturday.
The area falls under the Western Forest Division of the Forest Department and covers parts surrounding Sardar Patel Marg and the President’s Estate, the official said in a statement.
According to Chief Minister Gupta, the Delhi government has already decided that large-scale plantation of native and environmentally suitable tree species will be carried out wherever suitable vacant land is available in the Ridge areas declared as Reserved Forests.
Once a zone is declared as Reserved Forest, all human activities, including grazing, hunting, logging, and entering, are prohibited unless explicitly permitted, aiming to protect biodiversity and watersheds.
Chief Minister Gupta said the decision would prove to be a milestone in strengthening Delhi’s natural heritage, biodiversity, and ecological security.
She added that providing legal protection to Delhi’s ecologically sensitive Ridge areas had remained pending for several decades.
“With commitment and determination, our (BJP) government has declared nearly 673.32 hectares of the Central Ridge area as Reserved Forest. This decision reflects our commitment towards environmental conservation, expansion of green cover, and securing a safe and balanced future for coming generations,” she said.
The Chief Minister added that the Delhi government is continuously working to preserve the national capital’s green assets and protect environmentally sensitive areas.
She said that with the declaration of the Central Ridge area as Reserved Forest, an important process pending for more than three decades has finally been completed.
She added that despite the initial notification of Ridge areas in 1994, these areas could not receive final legal protection for a long period.
Taking decisive steps in this direction, the present BJP-led state government has achieved a historic milestone in environmental conservation by notifying the Central Ridge area as Reserved Forest under Section 20 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927.
The Chief Minister told that the Central Ridge is located in the heart of the national capital and stretches along both sides of Upper Ridge Road.
She said the Delhi Ridge is an extension of the ancient Aravalli hill system and is regarded as the “green lungs” of the capital of India.
The Ridge plays a crucial role in improving air quality, conserving biodiversity, strengthening groundwater levels, and mitigating the adverse impacts of climate change and urban pollution.
Chief Minister Gupta also told that all five Ridge areas of Delhi were initially notified under Section 4 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927, in the year 1994.
Subsequently, as a major step towards environmental conservation, around 4080.82 hectares of the Southern Ridge area were declared Reserved Forest on October 24 last year.
With the present notification of 673.32 hectares of the Central Ridge, the current Delhi government has so far granted Reserved Forest status to a total of 4754.14 hectares of Ridge areas.
The Chief Minister said that other Ridge areas of Delhi would also soon be notified as Reserved Forests under Section 20 and the process is being expedited.
–IANS
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