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Four years have passed since the National Green Tribunal (NGT) passed the order to protect the Delhi Ridge, yet no efforts have been taken by the authorities to comply with the order, the tribunal noted February 17, 2025.
The court granted the Delhi government two weeks to submit a new affidavit and clarify why action should not be taken against the relevant authorities under the NGT Act, 2010. The next hearing is scheduled for April 9, 2025.
NGT’s directive from January 15, 2021, regarding the finalisation of the notification under Section 20 of the Forest Act, 1972, remains unfulfilled. It highlighted the Ridge’s crucial function as Delhi’s green lungs, significantly contributing to the city’s air quality maintenance.
The compliance of the order within time would have contributed to the improvement of air quality in Delhi, yet the order has not been complied with and no clear reasons have been given by the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi in its affidavit for non-compliance of the order, observed the NGT.
The matter related to conservation and protection of Delhi Ridge, an extension of the Aravali Range extending from Tughlakabad and branching out in Wazirabad in the north and also other parts of Delhi.
In the 2021 order, NGT had said there is an “urgent need to take necessary steps to protect the Ridge by taking necessary steps to finalise the notification under Section 20 of the Forest Act for reserved forest and protection by appropriate measures. The land about which there is clarity can be included in such notification and the remaining process can be undergone separately but expeditiously. No non-forest activity is permissible in Ridge area”.
The Delhi Government should proceed with appropriate measures such as installing fences or walls and maintaining vigilance. The identification of the remaining areas and the development of an action plan to remove encroachments will be completed within the next three months.
The NGT also ordered the formation of an Oversight Committee, which will be led by the Director General of Forests from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Following the above instructions, the Delhi government, through the chief secretary of Delhi, was mandated to issue the necessary notification under Section 20 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927 within three months for areas where there is no dispute.
The Kerala High Court February 17, 2025 directed the deputy administrator (livestock) of Guruvayoor Devaswom to file a detailed affidavit explaining the procedures being followed in Guruvayur Devaswom for booking and transporting elephants from Punnathur Aanakkotta, an elephant sanctuary in Kottapadi, Thrissur district, for temple festivals in other temples.
The authority was also directed to ensure that the elephants are provided with the required quantity of feed as per the statutory requirements, when they are outside Punnathur Aanakkotta.
The HC was considering the death of three persons on February 13, 2025 during the temple festival in Manakkulangara temple, Koyilandi, Kozhikode district, caused by two elephants becoming violent due to the burning of firecrackers. The elephants, named Gokul and Peethambaran, belonged to Guruvayoor Devaswom and were transported from Punnathur Anakotta at Guruvayoor to Koyilandy for the temple festival.
The veterinary surgeon of Guruvayur Devaswom was directed to submit a report regarding the incident that happened on February 13 at Manakkulangara temple, Koyilandi, with specific reference to the injuries sustained by the elephants of Guruvayur Devaswom.