NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Friday said the forest department must take all steps to protect the Ridge as it pulled up the authorities here for failing to notify its land as “reserved forest” in spite of earlier directions.
Emphasising that the forest department is its custodian, Justice Jasmeet Singh expressed concern over only 96 hectares of the more than 7,000 hectares of the Ridge land being notified as “reserved forest”.
The judge said an affidavit filed by the Delhi government is “totally unsatisfactory” as it is silent on the time-frame within which the entire Ridge area would be notified and made encroachment-free.
“The court gets an impression that the respondent is not keen on protecting the Ridge land. This court is pained to note that the Ridge is part of the Aravalli range and every step must be taken within the jurisdiction and power of the department of forest to protect the Ridge land,” the court said.
The Ridge is an extension of the Aravalli hill range in and is rocky, hilly and forested.