NGT Slams Delhi Govt For Delaying South Delhi Ridge Demarcation
Encroachment of forest land is rampant in the country. As Environment Minister, Prakash Javadekar last year said, nearly 19,000 sqkm of forest area which is about 2.4 per cent of the total cover in the country is under encroachment. Demarcation of forest areas is an essential process to protect forest resources and prevent encroachment. It is undertaken by the Revenue Department and other authorities.
The Delhi government was recently at the receiving end when the National Green Tribunal (NGT) criticised it for delaying the work of demarcation of forest land in the Southern Ridge area of the city. The agency which looks after environmental protection and conservation of forests had asked the Aam Aadmi Party-led government to execute the task in a period of one month.
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About the NGT directive
A bench led by Justice S P Wangdi has said that the demarcation work was not completed as per the timeline despite assurances given by the Revenue Department and the other concerned authorities. The green panel has informed that disciplinary action against the concerned officials will be taken if the order is not complied with, besides levying a cost of Rs 2 lakh on each respondent, particularly Revenue Department and Department of Forest, Govt. of NCT Delhi.
A resident of South Delhi and some others have appealed for action against the land encroachment in the forest area in the Southern Ridge neighbourhood.
The NGT had passed an order on December 20, 2017 categorically stating that the regime prescribed for the process of demarcation must be strictly adhered to, to avoid "floodgate of claims and counterclaims by all concerned parties" having land adjoining the ridge area in the villages of Ranpuri, Rajokri and Githorni in the Vasant Kunj subdivision.
As per the tribunal’s directive, the first status report of the work be filed within 15 days from February 26 and the final demarcation report has to be submitted on March 13.
The scenario of forest land encroachment
Depleting the city’s green cover, encroachment of forest lands can be a threat to the environment that can disrupt the fragile balance of nature, affecting the soil and water resources. These invasions are done to a small extent by landless migrants or marginal farmers and widely by the privileged squatters, which calls for proportionate punishment - like a suitable resettlement package from the centre for the former while heavy fines for the latter category.
Stating such activities as a criminal act and forest areas as primary "natural features", the Delhi High Court had earlier witnessed many such cases and pleas by the residents. For instance, in the case of the nearby Neb Sarai village, Indira Enclave, and areas surrounding the plush Sainik Farms, a lot of illegal constructions of roads and buildings have taken place, in clear violation of the Master Plan.
The government’s forest department makes it mandatory to build a boundary wall on these areas for preventing illegal encroachments. The demarcation process is undertaken by the Revenue and Settlement Departments which work with the Forest Department. As per media reports, there are around 14 villages in the region which require demarcation. The task which began last year is only half way through with just four villages — Rajokri, Ayanagar, Jaunapur and Ghitorni being handed over.