Editor Mr.Mayank Rawat ( Chief Editor Mr. Rohit Mishra )
New Delhi: Delhi’s agencies don’t appear to be serious about protecting ridge forests, the high court lamented on Wednesday, ordering a survey of encroachments in Aravalli Biodiversity Park and nearby areas.
“The facts mentioned in the application compel us to observe that the authorities, be it Delhi Police, Delhi Development Authority and forest department, don’t appear to be serious about protecting the notified forest areas — Aravalli Biodiversity Park, Sanjay Van, south-central ridge and forests behind shopping malls on Nelson Mandela Marg near Vasant Kunj,” a bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela observed, asking Delhi Police to also keep a continuous vigil in these areas.
The court acted after court-appointed amicus curiae and senior advocate Kailash Vasudev highlighted that the boundary walls at several places in the forest areas were damaged and encroached upon, but authorities failed to take measures. It was hearing a batch of PILs over poor ambient air quality in Delhi, an issue which it took up suo motu several years ago and appointed an amicus curiae for assistance.
Taking a serious view of the breaches in the boundary walls of forest areas and encroachments as flagged by the amicus, the bench directed these must be immediately repaired/removed by DDA. It stressed the need for “constant supervision” of such breaches to prevent further damage, pointing out the “utility of and services rendered by the biodiversity and these forests”.
The court ordered police to conduct an “intensive survey and inspection within a week” and prepare a report on its findings, which police will further communicate to DDA, so that the land owning agency can undertake repair and restoration and, if needed, appropriate steps for the removal of encroachments.
The bench further directed the conservator of forests and the ridge management board to furnish details of steps that were either taken or required to protect the forest areas. “It equally becomes the responsibility of the forest department, especially the conservator of forest of the area, to do constant supervision and report any breaches to the authorities so as to prevent further damage to the forest,” the court said, making it clear that the police inspection should be photographed and videographed.
The court asked the DDA to file its status report by the next date of hearing on May 14.
Mayank Rawat
