NEW DELHI: On Tuesday, the NCR states agreed to maintain the Natural Conservation Zone (NCZ) provisions in the Regional Plan 2041 and to protect the Aravali region. Meanwhile, the NCR Planning Board has postponed the finalization of the plan for a couple of months.
The board opted to form a sub-committee with senior officials from central and state governments to evaluate new proposals suggested by board members.
The panel is expected to deliver its final report by August 15. Union Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal, who led the meeting, informed reporters that numerous suggestions have been put forward, and certain issues require further examination, though he did not specify what these issues were.
When asked about the status of Aravali and NCZ, he mentioned that a substantial portion of Aravali, along with forested areas, lies within the NCR, and all parties are in favor of enhancing green cover.
He pointed out the ongoing discussions regarding the appropriate balance between forest area and green cover. Lal added that forested regions are officially recorded, and actions cannot be taken as they are governed by the Union Environment Ministry or are subject to court rulings.
Nonetheless, he acknowledged several suggestions have been proposed. “At times, there are certain restrictions that simply cannot be implemented… Numerous rulings by the NGT, Supreme Court, high courts, and MoEF exist. We will not contravene those decisions,” said Lal.
According to insights from TOI, some attendees from Haryana argued that the MoEF’s notification limits the Aravali in NCR to parts of Delhi, Gurgaon, and Alwar, implying that extensive areas of Aravali in Faridabad would not be classified under NCZ.
Officials reiterated, however, that the provisions of NCZ, including those concerning Aravali, will remain unchanged in the Regional Plan.
The urban development ministers from UP and Rajasthan, A K Sharma and Jhabar Singh Kharra, noted a consensus on all agenda items, including NCZ, stating, “There was no disagreement on any matter.”
Earlier, when asked if any new survey of NCZ would be conducted, considering that Haryana and Delhi have yet to delineate conservation zones, Lal confirmed that no new surveys will take place.
He elaborated that satellite imagery does not always clarify whether a green area is genuinely forested or just appears green. He emphasized that ground verification is essential since grassy areas, or even weedy ponds, can have a greenish hue.
The board also decided to expedite the rollout of the “Parivartan Scheme,” recently approved by the Union Cabinet, aimed at replacing outdated bus and truck fleets (BS-I to BV-IV) with BS-VI or CNG/electric options in a timely manner to mitigate vehicular pollution.
“Under this new scheme, buyers who retire old vehicles for new ones will receive an incentive of around 30% of their value. Participation in the scheme will be voluntary,” Lal stated.
