NEW DELHI: NCR states on Tuesday agreed to retain Natural Conservation Zone (NCZ) provisions in the Regional Plan 2041 without altering the Aravali region, even as the NCR Planning Board postponed the plan's finalisation by a couple of months. The board decided to form a sub-committee comprising senior officials from central and state governments to examine new suggestions from board members. The panel is expected to submit its final report by August 15.
Union Minister's Remarks
Union Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal, who chaired the board meeting, informed reporters that several suggestions from members and certain issues require attention, though he did not specify the issues. Responding to queries about Aravali and NCZ, Lal stated that a significant portion of Aravali and forest areas falls under the NCR, and all stakeholders aim to increase green cover. He acknowledged ongoing concerns about the extent of forest and green cover, noting that forest areas are officially recorded, and the board cannot intervene as these fall under the Union Environment Ministry or are subject to court rulings. However, he mentioned that numerous suggestions have been received. "Sometimes there are restrictive things that cannot be followed... There are many decisions of NGT, Supreme Court, high courts, and MoEF. There will be no violation of those decisions," Lal said.
Haryana's Stance and Clarifications
TOI learned that some participants from Haryana argued that, according to a MoEF notification, Aravali in the NCR is limited to Delhi, Gurgaon, and Alwar, suggesting that large parts of Aravali in Faridabad would not fall under NCZ. However, officials clarified that the NCZ provision, including Aravali, in the Regional Plan would remain unchanged. Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan Urban Development Ministers A K Sharma and Jhabar Singh Kharra stated that there was consensus on all agenda items, including NCZ. "There was no disagreement on any issue," they said.
No Fresh Surveys Planned
Earlier, when asked if a new survey of NCZ would be conducted given that Haryana and Delhi have not yet delineated conservation zones, Lal responded that no fresh surveys would be carried out. He added that satellite imagery sometimes fails to distinguish whether a green area is forest or merely appears green. "Even if there are weeds in a pond, that will also look green," Lal said, emphasizing the need for ground proofing.
Parivartan Scheme to Reduce Pollution
The board also decided to expedite the implementation of the 'Parivartan Scheme,' approved by the Union Cabinet, which aims to replace old bus and truck fleets (BS-I to BS-IV) with BS-VI, CNG, or electric vehicles in a time-bound manner to reduce vehicular pollution. "Under the new scheme, those who buy new vehicles by retiring old ones will receive an incentive of approximately 30% of their value. This is a voluntary scheme," Lal said.
