Stretch along MehrauliBadarpur highway not green belt, DDA tells NGT

The stretch along the Mehrauli-Badarpur Highway in Saket is not part of the ‘green belt;’ at least not according to the Delhi Development Authority.

The DDA made the submission to the National Green Tribunal, when the green court was hearing a plea filed by Tripta Sood and Vivek Pande, who had asked the NGT to issue directions to protect the approximately 1.5 km long and 13 m wide ‘green belt’ that runs along the Mehrauli-Badarpur highway in Saket.

They had sought directions to stop tree felling and encroachment in the area and to maintain the status quo by disallowing any change in land use.

“The issue raised in this case is as to whether the area in question is a green belt. The counsel appearing for the DDA submits that the area is not within the green belt and reply in this regard has been filed,” said the bench headed by Justice Jawad Rahim.

The petitioners however, disagreed with the submissions and said the stretch had over 1,500 trees which acted as a “green buffer” that filters out air pollutants and reduces the noise pollution from the highway, from reaching the residential areas of Gurudwara road.

Last year, the NGT had asked the South Delhi Municipal Corporation to draft and finalise an action plan to protect the trees of the alleged ‘green belt’ from commercial activities. They had also prohibited the felling of trees in the area, earlier when residents had moved the court pleading increased encroachment.

The court will hear the matter on April 18. WITH PTI INPUTS

The shortage may not have an immediate impact as Navratras begin Tuesday. The demand for meat drops during the nine-day period considered auspicious by Hindus, many of whom stick to a vegetarian diet.

Prices of pulses and vegetables could rise if the situation in UP was not resolved by the end of Navratras, said Qureshi, who is also the country’s leading meat exporter.

According to an estimate, Delhi consumes around 40,000kg of buffalo meat and 80,000kg of mutton a day.

“Following closure of abattoirs, traders are not ready to send stock. They are scared of attacks on vehicles ferrying animals,” Asim Faraz, a Ghazipur commission agent said.

As the stock was limited, prices were up ~40-60 per kilo, a meat shop owner in Sadar Bazaar said. The wholesale price of a kilo of buffalo meat used to be around ~120. It climbed to ~175, Mohammad Suffian said. The shop price, too, had gone up -- from ~170 to ~200. In some areas, it even touched ~250, he said.

According to mutton traders, the wholesale price was up from ~380 to ~400. At some places mutton was sold for ~500 a kilo on Monday.

“We don’t have any problem with illegal slaughterhouses being shut down but we are following rules still our business is suffering,” said another Ghazipur trader .