New Delhi: The Delhi forest department has issued notices to the Delhi Jal Board, Irrigation and Flood Control Department and Indraprastha Gas Limited for constructing a road and laying water and gas pipelines through the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary, officials have said.
Permission under the Forest Conservation Act is required from the Union Environment Ministry for such works in a wildlife sanctuary. The ministry also seeks the advice of the National Board of Wildlife on such matters, according to officials.
The road, gas and water pipelines lead to Asola Homes, a residential project in Chattarpur, Deputy Conservator of Forests (South Division) Amit Anand said.
Forest officials said Asola Homes has also come up on land that falls under the wildlife sanctuary. A case is pending before the forest settlement officer in this regard for around six years.
Google Earth images show the road was constructed in 2017, he said.
Earlier this month, the department issued notices to the water utility, IGL and I&FC, which constructed the road through the wildlife sanctuary.
Officials from I&FC and IGL participated in a hearing before forest department officials recently. They have been asked to submit an affidavit, listing all facts, including from where they received permission for constructing the road and laying the pipeline, by April 15, Anand said.
A notice had been issued to the DJB, too, but it returned undelivered. Now, it will be physically handed over to DJB officials, he said.
A DJB official said they will go through the notice and submit a reply.