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Source: Hindustan Times, http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Researchers-find-out-secret-to-Delhi-Ridge-s-ravaging-plant/Article1-683377.aspx

Date: 10/04/2011

The answer to the secret of the persistence of weeds known as Vilayati Babul or mesquite that ravage the Delhi Ridge every year is here.

A Delhi scientist has led an international team of researchers to the strongest evidence yet linking a plant’s evolutionary survival to the unique way its DNA structures are paired. The finding could prove critical to identifying in advance both tackling invasive plants – that mushroom out of control – and protecting endangered species.

The research by Maharaj Pandit, head, department of environment, Delhi University, and two scientists from the UK shows that the number and pairing of chromosomes – DNA structures within a cell – indicate a plant’s likelihood to proliferate or die out.

“We now have a genetic model that is more robust than what was available,” Pandit told HT. The research findings by Pandit, Michael Pocock from the University of Bristol and William Kunin from the University of Leeds have been published in the latest edition of Journal of Ecology.

Plants with a higher number of identical sets of chromosomes – known as the ploidy – in their cells and a higher chromosome count are likelier to be invasive than others in their sub-family – known as genus – with low ploidy and chromosome numbers, the researchers found. The scientists have cautioned that it is appropriate only to compare plants within a genus.

The Vilayati Babul and the Khejri found in Rajasthan both belong to the same sub-family – Prosopis. But while the Vilayati Babul is rampant – and has to be weeded out each year from the Delhi Ridge – the Khejri is much rarer. The reason is the difference in their ploidy number, Pandit said.

The challenge before India now is to find the genetic composition of flora found in India – the chromosome number of over 50% of the Indian flora is not yet known, he said. Earlier models that have suggested which plants could be endangered and which invasive have been equivocal.

Source:Thaindian News, http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/enviornment/constructions-in-delhi-ridge-court-notice-to-ministries_100537311.html

Source: 20/05/2011

New Delhi, May 20 (IANS) The Delhi High Court has issued notice to the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) and the ministry of defence (MoD) on a petition seeking a stay on the construction of staff quarters by cutting trees in Delhi’s green Ridge area.

A Division Bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Sanjiv Khanna Wednesday issued the notice seeking their response by Aug 17. It has also sought a reply from the government and the Border Roads Organisation.

The court issued notice while hearing the petition filed by Ashok Kumar Tanwar, a Delhi resident, who said the construction work was in complete violation of environmental norms.

“Direct the concerned respondents to protect the forest land and waste land surrounded at west by Inderpuri road and Naraina Industrial Area,” said the petition, adding that they should also be stopped from illegal activities of quarrying, mining, felling of trees and raising apartments in the Ridge area.

On noticing the environmental degradation around their village, Tanwar wrote to the MoEF in 2005 complaining about the illegal activities under way in the central Ridge area, but nobody took action.

A forest officer of the Delhi government had visited the site and submitted a report in September 2005. According to the report, heavy machinery is being used to take out stones from the area.

“The authorities are failing to perform their statutory duty in protecting the reserve forests and knowingly allowing illegal activities in the area,” the petition adds

Source: The Indian Express, http://www.indianexpress.com/news/green-light-to-restore-delhi-ridge/493830/

Date:25/06/2009

For the first time, Delhi’s Ridge, which lies on the oldest mountain range in the world, is set to get a booster shot.

The Delhi Ridge, on the Aravalli mountain range, is currently what many ecologists call a ‘green desert’ — because the forest tracts over South, Central and Northern Delhi are infested with weeds.

Now the Forest department, in consultation with the Centre for Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystems (CEMDE), has started work on an action plan to turn the Ridge into an ecological forest — with grassland, dry deciduous and mixed deciduous forest communities and its own water check dams. This was done after the action plan found that large parts of the Ridge are just open scrub land with a low density of trees.

On Saturday and Sunday, the DDA and the Forest department planted 5,000 ecologically-relevant tree species at Kamala Nehru Ridge opposite St Stephen’s College. The varieties included fruit species for the large resident monkey population in the forest — jamun, imli, amla, bel, sheesham and fig-bearing peepal trees.

Currently, the action plan, created after a survey of parts of the Ridge by the forest department and the CEMDE, notes that large parts of the Ridge is not thick forest, and is weed infested.

Observations on the Central Ridge, opposite Maurya Sheraton, include: “The vegetation is mostly thorny scrub, and 80 per cent of the ground is open, except for scattered clumps of lantana (a weed) and other bushes. Prosopis Juliflora (another weed) is dominant but the density is extremely low, about 10 to 15 trees per hectare.”

“We’re starting work on the action plan this year. Though one plantation drive has already been done, others will be done with more monsoon rain. The focus will be on the central Ridge,” Conservator of Forests D M Shukla told Newsline.

Source: Meri News, http://www.merinews.com/article/stop-degrading-delhi-ridge-jackal-roams-in-the-heart-of-city/127540.shtml

Date: 6/11/2007

 The Delhi Ridge known as the lung of Delhi is encroached by humans� resulting in loss of habitat for animals. The greenery is also being lost. Unless we save the Ridge and Yamuna, Delhi will loose its ecology beyond control.

THE URBAN WILDLIFE is constantly warning us about the problems faced by the Delhi Ridge and the adverse impacts of human activities on the Ridge. It is time we act, before it is too late to restore this life supporting system for Delhi city.

Date: 09/01/2006

Source: The Hindu, http://www.hindu.com/2006/01/09/stories/2006010921220300.htm

NEW DELHI: The green lungs of the Capital resemble more of a commercial parkland than a reserved forest with heavy traffic flow, several broad paths, illegal constructions and no patrolling, notes the recently tabled inspection report with the Ridge Management Board (RMB).

Warning that the inspected Sanjay Van doesn’t resemble the topography of a reserved forest, the report maintains “that under this circumstance the forest character of the area is not maintainable, unless drastic action is taken. Devoid of undergrowth and with ornamental plants replacing the natural forest, the city it seems is virtually devouring its green cover”.

Observing that multiple agencies and lack of political will have contributed to the fast deterioration of this reserved forest, the report has also drawn attention to the lack of co-ordination between the various agencies responsible for maintaining the Ridge.

It notes: “Despite the decision in the last Ridge Management Board meeting, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has still not proposed a date for a joint inspection of Sanjay Van. The Forest Department has also send reminders to the DDA, but with little result.”

Sanjay Van area is divided into two phases — the old notified area and the comparatively newly notified land, which is primarily the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) area.

“The entire area has wide motorable roads and are stone lined. It is evident that these roads are being constructed in order to facilitate the movements of vehicles.

There are numerous small temples inside the notified area and more continuously keep coming up.

Though initially established by the CRPF personnel they are now being put up by individual people and farmers,” states the report.

What adds to the worries of Ridge officials is the very high grazing pressure detected here, with distinct competition for fodder between nilgais and domesticated cattle.

Source: The Hindu, 10 August, 2006

With the Ministry of Environment and Forests acknowledging before Supreme Court that the entire Vasant Kunj mall project was illegal as it had come up on Ridge land, which is a water recharge zone, in violation of the Master Plan for Delhi, and that Delhi Development Authority did not exercise necessary environmental caution while taking up the plan, the role of senior DDA officers has come under scrutiny. Continue reading →

Source: NDTV.com, 21 July, 2006

Tribes at Bhatti Mines in Delhi are concerned as they face calls for their eviction by the Supreme Court. More than 25,000 of them have settled on the Ridge for decades but the court has said the 7700-acre area should be cleared. Nandagopal, 65, and four others are on fast to insist that authorities hear them. Continue reading →