The Hindu : New Delhi News : National park status for Ridge sought

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 13, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

National park status for Ridge sought

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JULY 12. Concerned over the rampant construction activity in the Ridge, environmentalists have demanded that Delhi's green lung be given the status of a national park and that all `illegal' construction in the area be stopped immediately.

They have also called upon the biggest violators of the Ridge protection law -- Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and the Army -- to stop all activities and vacate the "protected'' area which plays an important role in regulating the environment of the Capital and also helps in recharging the ground water.

Pointing to the area where the south central Ridge is surrounded clock-wise by Jawaharlal Nehru University, Nelson Mandela Marg, Mehrauli Mahipalpur Road, National Highway-8 and Palam Road besides the southern boundary of Vasant Vihar - members of the National Forum of Non Government Organisation today said that the construction carried out in the area is in total violation of the laws laid down by the Master Plan. "While the DDA has gone ahead and engaged in senseless constructions, the Army has carried out work under the garb that they aren't answerable to anyone,'' explained member Vikram Soni.

According to the members, the `illegal' construction and excessive pumping of ground water for the constructions and for daily use especially by a five star hotel has resulted in as many as 15-20 water bodies drying up in the area. This despite the fact that the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) prohibits drilling and pumping of ground water as this is a water inadequate region.

Also, the report which was moved by the Citizens for the Preservation of the Quarries and Lakes Wilderness (CPOLW), through the Supreme Court's Central Empowerment Committee (CEC), has pointed out that the Ridge and forest areas are unquestionably protected by laws, regardless of ownership.

The construction projects of the Army and DDA are in violation of the law, the report said, recommending that the area be immediately protected and that all non-forest activity be vacated and given the status of a national park.

"We find it disturbing that the construction activity and habitat destruction continues on the Vasant Vihar-VasantKunj-Mahipalpur Ridge despite the CEC directive to the Delhi Government and the Ministry of Environment and Forest to ensure that there was no further construction. The Army denies that it has received any such directions from the Delhi Government,'' explained Ravi Aggarwal of Srishti.

According to members of the Forum, the Army and the DDA in violation of the law are presently carrying out huge construction projects. "Ironically, a similar project of the DDA, the International Hotels Project to build 13 luxury hotels in the areas, was rejected by the Supreme Court in 1996 and subsequently the area was given a protected status.

And though the Army was informed in great detail about the rules in 1999 that its vast building project of a housing colony was in violation of the law on many counts, they persisted. Now they are doing it again. This is a deliberate violation of the law,'' explained Mr. Soni.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi