Save city’s heritage, urges Sheila

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said her Govt is making an effort to bring all stakeholders together for saving the central ridge by (first) constructing a strong boundary wall around it, reports Nivedita Khandekar.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Tuesday said her government is making an effort to bring all stakeholders together for saving the central ridge by (first) constructing a strong boundary wall around it.

HT Image

“I have approached the LG to tackle this and we are bringing everybody— the Delhi government, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the Delhi Development Authority and the Land and Development Office—together for this,” Dikshit told HT on the sidelines of an INTACH function.

Because there are various stakeholders, nothing could be done properly as yet and hence there is a need to bring all of the agencies together, she said. “And not just any simple wall. What is needed is a strong stone wall akin to a fortress so there can be no breach.”

Dikshit also drew attention towards the deterioration of the rich natural heritage. She claimed the green cover for the Capital had increased from just two per cent to 22 per cent in a decade, “Despite this, I wonder how we are not able to stop it from being encroached...The Ridge is being desecrated.... there is either construction going on or people dump debris here,” she said.

“We will lose this natural heritage, not because we need to, but because we are immune to its degradation.”