How green zone dilution in draft Delhi-NCR plan 2041 defied objections

NEW DELHI | GURUGRAM: If the feedback exercise for a policy document is meant to tell its drafters what they did right and where they went wrong, responses to the proposed NCR Regional Plan 2041 have an unambiguous message for the NCR Planning Board.

Of the objections and suggestions it received on the draft – a critical policy paper because it sets the contours of how the region will develop over the next two decades, balancing ecology and development – 95% were on the proposal altering ‘natural conservation zones (NCZ)’ to ‘natural zones (NZ)’.

As the nomenclature itself shows, an area categorised as NZ doesn’t require mandatory conservation, like an NCZs does. NCZs are primarily ecologically sensitive areas, including Aravali tracts – large swathes of which are in Haryana – that restrict construction to only 0.5% of their total area.

It wasn’t just public feedback that aired the concern on this proposed sweeping change. The Union environment and forest ministry too flagged shrinking of areas under NCZs, wanted the term ‘NCZ’ retained as per the NCR Plan 2021, and asked for the inclusion of a detailed land use plan, for NCZs and all of NCR, in the new plan.

Yet, the NCR Planning Board (NCRPB) stuck to its guns on NZs. The agenda circulated for the board meeting that was scheduled last week – before being called off at the last minute – noted, “It is pertinent to mention that necessary provisions related to Natural Zone (NZ) as provided in the published draft RP-2041 are already in line with the decisions held at the level of MoHUA (housing and urban affairs ministry) and the Board before publishing the draft. Accordingly, draft response of NCRPB has been framed in the tabulated comments that no change may be made in the existing Natural Zone formulation.”

The draft plan was put in the public domain after approval from the NCRPB, which is chaired by Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri, for 30 days for feedback. Source said the draft plan has now been sent to the Prime Minister’s Office. A fresh date for the board meeting is yet to be announced.

In the 2021 plan, which is in force now, areas under NCZs have been specifically defined – for example, extension of Aravali ridge, forest areas, rivers, sanctuaries, major lakes and water bodies. The definition of NZs in the draft plan is generic, such as ‘mountains and hills’, and ‘rivers and water bodies created by nature’. TOI had on July 5 had reported that after the term ‘Aravalis’ was removed from the draft plan, the Haryana government had tried to get the term “hills” too excluded from the plan. But the MoHUA and NCRPB did not entertain this.
How green zone dilution in draft Delhi-NCR plan 2041 defied objectionsDetails on the NCRPB website shows that at a meeting chaired by the MoHUA secretary with states on September 6, 2021 it was decided that the definition of NCZ in the NCR Regional Plan 2021 “will be retained as it is in the draft RP-2041”.

But when the draft plan was published, it sprung a surprise. Documents show the NCRPB asked Haryana to suggest the new provision of NZ, which would supersede NCZ.

A comparative analysis of the 2021 plan and the draft 2041 plan shows that there is no comparison of change of land use in the 2041 document, though the National Green Tribunal has repeatedly insisted on it. Land use maps, existing and proposed, have been an integral part of all previous NCR Regional Plans.

“The draft plan is a mere policy document in which the proposals of the earlier plan regarding the preservation and conservation of natural and ecological features have been diluted. The scope of preservation of the NZs has also been restricted and much has been left to the state governments’ discretion, which defies the very concept of a uniform development of NCR,” said Raj Vir Singh, former chief town planner of Haryana.

Col S S Oberoi (retd), who has been fighting for protection of Aravalis, said, “The directions of the NCRPB in December 2017 regarding the definition of Aravalis (all areas recorded as ‘gair mumkin pahar’, etc in NCR) and identification of forests as per dictionary meaning in line with Supreme Court orders should be included in the 2041 plan.”

On the draft plan papering over objections to NZs, Anil Sood of Delhi-based NGO Chetna said, “Inviting suggestions from citizens is a formality because there exists a procedure and compliance is necessary. Hence, suggestions are invited, but they get consigned to the dustbin,” said Sood.