“Cannot regularise 170 colonies falling under forest land”

NEW DELHI: The Government of Delhi told the Delhi High Court, on January 23, that the unauthorised colonies falling under the ‘reserved’ or ‘notified forest’ areas will not be regularised under the Centre’s move of regularisation of the unauthorised colonies.

Although, the move incorporates the regularization of over 1,700 unautorised colonies in the capital, however, it is not clear how many out of the 170 colonies listed by the Government of Delhi were cleared for regularisation.

The fact came in light after the submission made by the Delhi government’s Department of Forests and Wildlife before Justice G S Sistani and Justice A J Bhambhani. The department submitted its data after it was asked to clarify the effect of directions to regularise unauthorised colonies falling under notified forest areas and wildlife sanctuaries in Delhi.

Elaborating on the Supreme Court’s earlier ruling, Sanjoy Ghose, Delhi government’s Additional Standing Counsel said that prior approval from the Central government is required for carrying out any non-forest activity within any forest area.

Therefore, listing the colonies falling under the reserved or forest land, the Delhi government said that in North Division there are 4 colonies, in South Division 114 colonies, and in West Division 52 colonies.