New Delhi: Nearly 70% of Delhi’s South Ridge, spread around 6,200 hectares, can soon become a forest who is notified and get legal protection under the Indian Forest Law, 1927.
The Department of Forest and Wildlife Delhi has begun steps to notify almost 4,400 hectares.
Under Part 20 of the law, declare “burden” and freezing, officials said.
For 1,800 hectares remaining, the work is underway, which includes the limit wall settings, the elimination of smaller encroachment and a temporary structure, settled legal cases and greater encroachment in the form of multistory buildings.
For this, Demolition Drive is planned at Tuxlaqabad, Asola, Plating Pahladpur, Jaunapur, Bhatti, Maverangarhi, Dera bath and Sahurpur in the next few months.
“Notifications can come out in the next few months.
Documents will go through several stages and initially, 4,400 hectares will be informed.
After that, more villages can be added one by one,” said a senior forest official.
The work was influenced by a pandemic, but around 110 Bighas – around 10 hectares – from a symbolized forest land had been reclaimed in the past six months, officials said.
Before the last lock was announced in Delhi, encroachment was removed in Prem Nagar and Dera bathed.
According to the meeting held by the Ridge Management Board earlier this year, the drive removal of recent encroachment has recaptured 40.8 hectares of land and 314 hectares remaining.
A forest official said that while the remaining part may not have solid encroachment, the document for notification was submitted by the village by the village.
The overflowing area has not been borne, which includes the parts of the Ayanaagar, Neb Sarai and Solarjab.
4.400 hectare protection does not mean that the remaining part will remain with encroachment, the official said.
“In some cases, legal issues delay the process, and in some areas, the limit work is ongoing.
We can always issue new notifications to add more areas to the initial forest land.
After being told, it will enjoy legal protection under the law Forest, “added the official.
The Ministry of Forestry has acted on the direction of the National Green Court after the petition was submitted in 2015 to limit the South Ridge Delhi.
After the survey was carried out to prepare the Map of Southern Ridge, along with the income department, physical work began on the ground to eliminate the structure that fell in this forest area.
However, forest officials said the rehabilitation of slum areas could also play a role in slowing down the rest of the process.
“In some locations, intangible colonies are now on forest land.
For this reason, the police are strong, district assignment units and a number of Eardmovers will be needed.
But first, they must be rehabilitated.
It is even more difficult to do it during a pandemic, “Other forest officials said.