NGT notice to forest ministry, officials on Delhi’s southern Ridge encroachment

It referred to the report to state that despite being declared a reserved forest under the Indian Forest Act of 1927, large portions of the Ridge have been encroached upon over the years and that efforts to clear the encroachment have been slow and complicated due to legal battles, lack of manpower and the potential displacement of many people.

The NGT order, dated September 26 – issued by the tribunal’s Principal Bench headed by Chairperson Prakash Shrivastava – noted that the news report has stated that as per a 2019 survey, 357.07 hectare of encroached land was identified but only about 22% has been cleared so far, with the largest encroachment in the villages of Asola and Bhatti.

The slow pace of clearing encroachment is attributed to legal delays, pending land demarcations and the absence of dedicated funds, the order added.

“The news item also mentions specific instances of encroachment, such as a police station, a motorcycle showroom and a spiritual organisation’s lawns, farmhouses and other private properties situated on forest land. Additionally, the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has sought permission to build on a portion of its Maidangarhi campus, raising questions about the demarcation and documentation of forest land,” the order stated.

It added that the news item underscored the complexity and slow progress of reclaiming the southern ridge, highlighted the need for more effective measures and dedicated resources to protect this crucial green space while also raising substantial issues relating to the compliance of provisions of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

Directing that notice be issued to the PCCF, the MoEFCC, and DM (South Delhi), to file their response before the tribunal at least a week before the next hearing, the NGT listed the matter for January 21, 2025.