Delhi Lg Approves Reconstitution Of Ridge Management Board To Protect City S Green Lungs

Court order, will transition Ridge governance through an integrated, multi-agency regulatory body, Lok Niwas officials said.

The Ridge represents ancient remnants of the Aravali range in the national capital, which contribute prominently to the city's green cover.

According to the officials, the board's primary mandate will be absolute ecological balance, climate resilience, and the protection of Delhi's vital Ridge ecosystem through a combination of senior secretariat leadership and prominent environmental experts.

The Ridge in the national capital is owned by the Delhi Development Authority , while the Environment and Forest Department of the Union Territory government is responsible for its maintenance.

Agencies, including the Municipal Corporation of Delhi , New Delhi Municipal Council , Revenue Department and Delhi Police are responsible for enforcement to protect it.

The reconstituted board will be an inter-agency platform designed to streamline environmental surveillance and eliminate administrative silos, they said.

Headed by the Chief Secretary of the Delhi government, the board will include the vice-chairman of DDA, an inspector general of forests rank officer from the Ministry of Environment, and a senior officer of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, heads of MCD and NDMC as members.

The technical and regulatory enforcement will be ensured by the Director General of the Central Public Works Department , the Joint Commissioner of Delhi Police, and the principal secretaries of revenue and environment departments.

The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Delhi government, has been appointed as member-secretary to oversee ground-level execution, while Chandra Prakash Goyal will represent the Central empowered committee as a specialised board member, officials said.

The panel will integrate civil society and non-governmental organisations, top environmental experts for enhanced public ownership and expert consultation.

Arvind Madhav Singh of Centre for Sustainable Green Economy will serve as a non-government member to integrate sustainable global methodologies into ridge preservation, while Malvika Kaul will drive data-centric public participation and microflora enrichment strategies, officials said.

A specialised standing committee under the board will operate concurrently to handle rapid-response environmental interventions. This committee will be headed by a nominee from the Central Empowered Committee , with the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Delhi, serving as its member-secretary.

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