Archive · 12 Nov 2025
Supreme Court Orders Centre to Grant Statutory Status to Delhi Ridge Management Board
Imagine Delhi has a special forest area called the Ridge, which is like the city's green lungs, helping keep the air clean.
The Supreme Court wants to make sure this special forest is protected really well.
They told the main government, called the Centre, to officially create a special team, the Delhi Ridge Management Board, by giving it legal power.
This team will be in charge of keeping the Ridge safe from people building on it and making sure it stays beautiful.
The court also wants this team to have more people on it, including someone from another important group that helps the court.
The court was not happy that for many years, the local Delhi government didn't do enough to protect the Ridge.
Giving the management board official power should help it work better and be more accountable, like a super protector for the Ridge.
The Supreme Court has ordered the Centre to grant statutory status to the Delhi Ridge Management Board (DRMB).
The DRMB will be notified under the Environment Protection Act to ensure the conservation of the Delhi Ridge.
The Court emphasized the Ridge's importance as the 'green lungs' of Delhi and directed its preservation in its 'pristine glory'.
The DRMB's reconstitution was ordered, increasing its membership to 12, including a representative from the Central Empowered Committee (CEC).
The Supreme Court criticized the Delhi government for decades of inaction in protecting the Ridge and its limited progress in forest notification.
- Who
- Supreme Court, Centre (Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change - MoEF&CC), Delhi Ridge Management Board (DRMB), Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD), Central Empowered Committee (CEC)
- What
- The Supreme Court directed the Centre to grant statutory status to the Delhi Ridge Management Board (DRMB) by notifying it under the Environment Protection Act, and to reconstitute the board with more members, including a CEC representative.
- When
- Tuesday (date not specified, but recent)
- Where
- Supreme Court, National Capital Territory of Delhi (Delhi Ridge)
- Why
- To ensure the effective conservation, protection, and preservation of the Delhi Ridge, which is described as the 'green lungs' of Delhi, and to address the long-standing inaction by the Delhi government in protecting the area.
Supreme Court
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC)
Granting Statutory Status to DRMB
Supreme Court
Believes statutory status is necessary for effective preservation and accountability, to act as a single-window authority, and overcome inaction by the Delhi government.
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC)
Opposed granting statutory status due to apprehension of overlap with other authorities.
Action on Ridge Preservation
Supreme Court
Stated the Delhi government has not acted with swiftness in protecting the Ridge, with little progress in almost three decades and only a small portion of the ridge notified as a Reserve Forest.
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC)
Did not explicitly state their actions or lack thereof but were subject to the Supreme Court's criticism regarding inaction.
- Statutory Backing Order
- Supreme Court directs Centre to notify Delhi Ridge Management Board (DRMB) under Environment Protection Act, Section 3(3).
- DRMB Purpose
- Conservation, protection, and preservation of the Delhi Ridge and Morphological Ridge.
- DRMB Composition
- To be reconstituted with 12 members, including a representative from the Court's Central Empowered Committee (CEC).
- Standing Committee
- A five-member Standing Committee will be formed, with the CEC member as chairperson.
- Ridge Area Notified
- Only 103.48 hectares out of a total identified area of 7,784 hectares have final notification under Section 20 of the Forest Act.
- Court's Concern
- Supreme Court expressed concern over decades of inaction by the Delhi government in protecting the Ridge.