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After 30 years of delay, Forest dept finally sets a timeline to protect Delhi’s green lungs. Here are the details

Over 3,200 hectares in 12 villages of South Delhi fall under Delhi's Southern Ridge and form an extension of the Aravalli Range, but it remained unprotected on paper.

The NGT had directed the Delhi government in January 2021 to notify undisputed forest lands within three months. (File Photo)

The Delhi Forest Department has requested six months from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to complete a ground verification exercise across 3,287.076 hectares in 12 villages of South Delhi, before declaring it as a Reserved Forest under Section 20 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927. The region that comes under Delhi’s Southern Ridge forms an extension of the Aravalli Range, but it remained unprotected on paper.

In an affidavit dated July 23, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) Shyam Sundar Kandpal emphasized that verification is needed to confirm the land is free from encumbrances and under the department’s clear possession.

“It was deemed necessary … to reconfirm that areas proposed for notification are free from encumbrances and under the clear possession of the Department of Forests & Wildlife, GNCTD, before the issue of final notification,” it read.

The last demarcation was carried out in 2019, and given the nearly six‑year lapse, the department stated that verification would “minimise potential discrepancies or errors in demarcation and need for identification/verification of encroachment.”

Once notified under Section 20, all prior claims over the land will cease to exist. The Supreme Court in 1996 held that: “Once a notification under Section 20 of the Act … is published, then all the rights in the said land claimed by any person come to an end and are no longer available.”

As per official records, Delhi’s Ridge, including the Southern Ridge, was originally notified under Section 4 in 1994, covering around 7,777 hectares.

But the crucial Section 20 final notification was issued only for 103.48 hectares so far, leaving most of the Ridge unprotected on paper.

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The NGT had directed the Delhi government in January 2021 to notify undisputed forest lands within three months. However, as it remained delayed, in April this year, the NGT pointed out that “more than four years have passed” without action.

In cognisance, the department submitted a revised Phase‑I draft notification covering 3,287 hectares of forest land in 12 villages to the Delhi government.

According to the submission, a high-level meeting was held on July 16, where the district-level officials expressed concern “over shortage of manpower available in the districts/sub-divisions, the ground verification exercise of such a large area cannot be achieved simultaneously and can only be undertaken in a phased manner”.

The joint verification is underway, led by District Magistrates, across the 12 villages in South Delhi, as per the affidavit.

Sophiya Mathew

Sophiya Mathew is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. She joined the Delhi bureau in 2024, and has specialization in Integrated Multimedia Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai. Professional Background Core Beats: Her reporting is primarily focused on the Environment and Education. Specialization: She has gained recognition for her ground-level reporting on the Yamuna floodplains and the socio-economic challenges faced by those living on its banks. She also focuses on the disparities in Delhi's education system, ranging from elite private schools to government institutions and refugee education. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent work has been heavily centered on Delhi's severe winter pollution crisis and the government's regulatory responses: 1. The Air Pollution Crisis "A tale of two cities: Delhi govt schools choke in bad air, private classrooms set up air filters" (Dec 20, 2025): A high-impact feature contrasting the "Clean Air Bubbles" in elite schools with the reality of government school students who are exposed to an equivalent of 17 cigarettes a day due to outdoor exposure. "Delhi sees season's worst air day, second worst December AQI in nearly a decade" (Dec 15, 2025): An analytical report on the meteorological patterns trapping pollutants in the NCR. "Delhi bans non-BS VI vehicles from outside: Why curbing vehicular pollution is key" (Dec 17, 2025): Explaining the science behind targeting specific vehicle vintages to lower particulate matter. 2. Enforcement & Regulations "No fuel at pumps in Delhi without valid PUC certificate from December 18" (Dec 17, 2025): Breaking the news on the environment ministry's strict "No PUC, No Fuel" policy. 3. Education Policy "Law to regulate school fee in Delhi risks becoming procedural, say parents" (Dec 13, 2025): Investigating the loopholes in the new Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025. "Monsoon Session: Private school fee regulation Bill cleared after four-hour debate" (Aug 9, 2025): Covering the legislative passage of the controversial fee hike regulation. Signature Style Sophiya is known for her observational depth. Her reporting often includes vivid details from school corridors, hospital waitlists, or the banks of the Yamuna to illustrate how policy failures affect the city's most vulnerable residents. She is a frequent expert guest on the 3 Things podcast, where she explains the complexities of Delhi’s environmental laws. X (Twitter): @SophiyaMathew1 ... Read More

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Forest Department