Delhi government panel to oversee restoration of central ridge

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government on Monday set up a sixmember advisory committee for the restoration of the central ridge through biodiversity enrichment, which will include replacing invasive Mexican trees ‘vilayati kikar’ (prosopis juliflora) with indigenous species.

The committee will oversee the implementation of the project in all aspects, a statement said. Environment Minister Gopal Rai said the project, approved last month, will help achieve the ultimate goal of ‘kikar eradication’ from the Central Ridge within five years.

The central ridge is spread over 864 hectares and 423 hectares of area will be restored, the statement said. The panel will be headed by the principal secretary (environment and forest), and include the principal chief conservator of forests, and eminent environmentalists C R Babu, Pradeep Krishen, Reena Gupta and Suditya Sinha.

The committee will meet every two weeks to monitor the progress of the project and ensure timely and effective onground compliance, and will also ensure the highest and aesthetical standards in the design of all civil works, the statement said.