Why in the News?

The Delhi government has decided to declare 41 sq. km of the Southern Ridge as a reserved forest under the Indian Forest Act, 1927, following long-pending directions from the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

Delhi Morphological Ridge

About Delhi Morphological Ridge:

The Delhi Ridge is the northern extension of the ancient Aravalli Range, stretching approximately 35 km from Tughlaqabad to Wazirabad, along the Yamuna River.
It is composed mainly of quartzite rock, is over 1.5 billion years old, and significantly older than the Himalayas.
It functions as Delhi’s green lungs, aiding in carbon sequestration, temperature regulation, and air pollution reduction.
It acts as a natural barrier against desert winds from Rajasthan and supports rich biodiversity, making Delhi one of the world’s most bird-rich capitals.
It is divided into four zones: Northern Ridge, Central Ridge, South-Central Ridge, and Southern Ridge.
Key conservation areas include the Northern Ridge Biodiversity Park and the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary.

Land Use Regulation in the Ridge:

Although the area shares ecological features with the Delhi Ridge, it is NOT officially notified as forest land, but it enjoys judicial protection.
A 1966 directive prohibits any NON-forest use or encroachment without court approval.
Any change in land use must be cleared by the Ridge Management Board (RMB) and the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC).
The area is mapped using data from the Delhi Forest Department and the 2006 Seismic Zonation Map.
Formal notification as a Reserved Forest under the Indian Forest Act, 1927, is pending due to the absence of ground-truthing.
In revenue records, it is often marked as “gair mumkin pahad”, meaning uncultivable rocky hill.
The terrain is ecologically fragile, with shallow soil and rocky outcrops, making it unsuitable for construction.