The Natural Conservation Zone (NCZ) provision has been fully restored in the NCR Regional Plan 2041, which is expected to be approved by the NCR Planning Board on Tuesday. With this restoration, the board must fast-track the mapping of the NCZ, including assessing the shrinkage of the Aravali range across the region, to identify violations and direct states to take corrective action.
NGT Order on Mapping
In April 2022, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered the board to complete the mapping of the NCZ. Experts advocating for the protection of the Aravali and NCZ in the NCR emphasized that the board should expedite the process to comply with the tribunal's order. While Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan have completed the delineation of the NCZ after ground truthing, Haryana and Delhi are still finalizing their maps.
During a review petition hearing on April 6, 2022, the NGT modified its earlier order, stating: "Considering the difficulty expressed by the review applicant (Planning Board), we modify the order of this tribunal dated April 5, 2021, and direct that instead of 1:50,000-scale maps, the exercise may now be carried out using high-resolution satellite data (spatial resolution better than 0.5 metres) compatible with cadastral maps."
Satellite Data Specifications
The NGT specified that satellite data with a resolution of one metre or finer, covering two seasons during 2021–22 and 2022–23, should be used. "In the first instance, available maps at 1:50,000 or 1:10,000 scale for the period 1999–2019 may be used to identify broad violations, including shrinkage of Aravalis. Needless to say, violations detected on 1:50,000 or 1:10,000-scale maps should not be ignored. Once violations have been identified, high-resolution maps, as indicated above, may be used to pinpoint the violators and initiate action in accordance with the law," the NGT ordered.
Status of NCZ Delineation
The board meeting's agenda reveals that the Haryana government informed the board in October 2020 that it would finalize areas under the NCZ and communicate them. However, at a planning committee meeting in March 2023, Haryana reported that the work was still pending. "NCZ delineation is still under finalisation by Govt of Haryana," the agenda states. Similarly, for Delhi, the agenda notes: "NCZ delineation is still under finalisation by the Govt of NCT-Delhi."
