Centre and State to turn ridge into green Delhi's lungs, says Amit Shah

New Delhi: Union home minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said the Delhi government has taken "a positive step" by notifying 5,000 hectares of the city's Ridge area as forest land, ending a three-decade delay in granting statutory protection to the ecologically sensitive area.

While 7,784 hectares of the Ridge were notified under the Indian Forest Act in 1994, the final notification remained pending, Shah said at the launch of 'Mission 70 Lakh Plantation' campaign in the national capital.

He said the central and state governments have resolved to fully develop the 6,300-hectare green Ridge into forest land over the next four years and ensure its protection, the minister said.


There are many invasive and thorny trees, including poisonous ones in the Ridge, "which create an illusion of a green Delhi when seen, but are not favourable to our environment," the minister said. "Within three years, trees that live for more than 100 years such as peepal, banyan, neem, gular, arjun, and jamun will be planted across the entire Ridge to turn it into the lungs of a green Delhi."

He said more than 10 million native plants, including more than 6.5 million plants that grow to become large trees and 6.5 million other plants, will be planted.

"Indiscriminate tree felling has created large holes in the ozone layer, causing an imbalance in the earth's temperature. The only way to stop this problem is to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide from the earth," Shah said, adding, "Only trees can accomplish this task."

He said the Ridge will have more than 70 ponds and small restaurants, and its archaeological structures will also be preserved there. He said eight special forests will be developed in the Ridge area including Nakshatra Van, Mel Van, Rishi Van, Tirthankar Van, Shankar Van, Vaman Vriksha Van, and Purani Vatika. Through these, efforts will be made to connect people with nature.