'Demarcation of Ridge: Delhi approach casual'

New Delhi:  Calling the Delhi government's approach "casual", the National Green Tribunal (NGT) slammed it for delaying the demarcation of forest land in the southern Ridge area, which has been pending for years, leading to many encroachments.

The green panel has asked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government to complete the exercise within a month.

The demarcation was required by a 1996 notification by the Delhi government and various government departments had to carry out the exercise but it is still stuck despite various court orders.

A bench, which was  headed by Justice S.P. Wangdi, said that despite assurances by the Revenue department and the other concerned authorities that the demarcation work would be completed within a prescribed time frame, nothing has been done.

The tribunal warned that in case the order was not complied with, disciplinary proceedings would be initiated against concerned officials and a cost of '2 lakh would be paid by each respondent, particularly Revenue Department and Department of Forest, Govt of NCT Delhi.

The tribunal also said the green panel’s December 20, 2017 order is "clear and categorical" in directing that the regime prescribed for the process of demarcation was required to be strictly followed in order to avoid ‘floodgate of claims and counter claims by all concerned parties’ having land adjoining the ridge area in the villages of Ranpuri, Rajokri, and Githorni in the Vasant Kunj subdivision.

“Since, enough time has been taken by the Revenue Department and the other concerned authorities to complete the work, further time sought for is granted with a strict direction that the work shall be completed within the next one month,” the bench said.

The tribunal was hearing a bunch of pleas field by South Delhi resident Sonya Ghosh and others against encroachments on forest land in the Southern Ridge area and seeking their removal.  

In one of its earlier order, the green panel had said that the government is showing “disdainful conduct” in the matter.  

The tribunal also directed that the first status report of the work should be filed within 15 days from February 26 and the final demarcation report should be submitted on March 13.