New Delhi: The newly reconstituted Delhi Ridge Management Board (DRMB), which met for the first time on June 29, has approved a four-year eco-restoration plan for the ridge forests over an area of 6,303.6 hectares.t also gave a nod to the creation of theme-based forests, and constituted its standing committee, which will first scrutinise the project proposals before these are placed before the board.DRMB was informed that out of the total of 7,784 hectares, 7,772.3 hectares were demarcated and of these, 4,850.3 hectares have been notified under section 20 of the Indian Forest Act till now.However, an area of 848.8 hectares has been proposed for notification while the remaining area of 2,073.2 hectares is pending. DRMB was told that 2,073.2 hectares consist of khasras under govt allotments, pending Tatima proceedings, khasras under stay due to court cases, matters related to Forest Settlement Officer, private khasras, etc., and are in the process of settlement.An area of around 400.5 ha in Southern Ridge has been submitted for obtaining the approval of LG and proposals for notification of 448.2 ha in South Central Ridge, Northern Ridge and Nanakpura Ridge are being processed. The proposal for declaring 112.3 hectares of Northern Ridge and 5.9 hectares of Nanakpura Ridge as reserved forest has been received from DDA and is being processed for finalisation of the notification, according to the minutes of the meeting of DRMB.The forest department told DRMB that it is undertaking works at eight sites in Southern and Central Ridge for the rejuvenation of existing water bodies and the harvesting of drainage and storm water runoff to enhance soil moisture conservation and groundwater recharge.TOI had reported in June that following the order of Supreme Court in Nov last year to grant statutory powers to DRMB, the new body will function as the single-window authority in all matters pertaining to Delhi Ridge and Morphological Ridge having “ridge-like features.” It will also act against encroachment and submit periodic reports to Supreme Court.Earlier, for use of the ridge and morphological ridge, permissions from the ridge management board, apex court-appointed Central Empowered Committee and Supreme Court were needed. The old body lacked any power to act against encroachment.In its first meeting, DRMB directed principal chief conservator of forests to expeditiously take up with STF to firm up and implement a time-bound anti-encroachment removal plan.DRMB also decided that all proposals seeking permission for use of forest area or morphological ridge for non-forestry purposes would be referred to the six-member standing committee. “Thereafter, the decisions of the standing committee will be placed before the DRMB,” according to the minutes.Meanwhile, the standing committee, which has met two times since its formation, decided that in cases involving felling of more than 100 trees or diversion of more than one hectare of ridge or morphological ridge land, all members of the committee will undertake a site inspection before the proposal is considered.