There was a time in history when what we know as Delhi was covered with thick forests teeming with wild-life. What much of the sprawling Capital and its satellite cities have now been converted into is a deafening concrete jungle of towering buildings, roads and incessantly honking vehicles. Yet, the city boasts of being one of the greenest Capitals in the world as the last vestiges of the forests continue to hold their own within this urban jungle. Only next to the Kenyan Capital of Nairobi, Delhi has a sizeable forest cover that is home to a fair population of wildlife. Spread over a total area that could cover 6,000 football fields, the urban forests are fighting for survival as land sharks continue to snipe at their roots. Known at various points of its history as Jahanabad or Indraprastha, the Capital has inherited not just monuments but several patches of forests. The longest stretch is the Ridge that extends from Southeast at Tughlaqabad, near the Bhati mines, tapering off in the north Wazirabad on the river Yamuna. This 7,777-hectare reserved forest area not just lends a natural beauty but helps clean the city air. No wonder, one can term the Ridge area the lungs of the city.

The Jahanpanah Forest in South Delhi, spread over 800 acres, is a popular fitness destination for residents of nearby localities. The Asola-Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area in the Southern Ridge. Then there are 26 areas notified as protected forests, according to the Delhi government’s forest department. The department has, over the years raised plantations in village (gaon sabha) and government lands and maintains them as city forests. There are 13 old city forests to which new city forests are added, the department of forests and wildlife says in its website.

At first glance everything may look quite good. But ground reality, if environmentalists and experts are to be believed, is not so rosy. Apart from the natural forests, those forest regions that were once planted to make Delhi beautiful and protect it from desertification and help cover its ruins are reeling under a lot of pressure and have a fair chance for extinction. With every passing decade the size of the forest region is shrinking very rapidly, thanks to development plans for the city. Not only this, an acute shortage of staff in the forest department makes this region very vulnerable from encroachers and hard to manage. Scant security also makes it ideal for criminals and criminal activities in these isolated forests.

For environmentalists, however, these are minor problems. The real problem is the introduction of exotic species, which have decimated native plants. One such tree, informed C R Babu, a Delhi University professor, is vilayati kikar (Prosopis juliflora). “What is the actual use of a plant? To maintain the atmosphere and manage groundwater,” opined C R Babu. “Vilayati kikar, which was brought from Mexico (by the British in early 1920s) fails on both fronts. It consumes more water, which is not good for Delhi.” The kikar tree has also monopolized entire areas ~ mainly the Ridge ~ and killed any competition from other native species.

This has also impacted the area’s biodiversity. Now, Delhi’s forest department has embarked upon a massive plan to replace these kikar trees with native species. Environmentalists also rubbish government’s claims, with its facts and figures, to have increased forest region. It is just an eyewash, they assert.

Ecological issues

For environmentalist the biggest problem is the exotic invasive species, which have little use for green land. Most of the Ridge forests are populated with the highly-invasive South American vilayati kikar or Mexican mesquite, which was brought by British when Delhi became the Capital (as mentioned above). As per C R Babu, the tree has taken over by killing local flora. “It has destroyed native plants and also sucks up groundwater quickly. The only advantage of these trees is that they grow fast and later on, a good amount of wood can be used. However, if one checks the environment, it is not of much use.”

The British were under pressure to make the Capital green. Therefore, they imported this species from the South American country. C R Babu also informed that several colonial countries in West Africa, where this vilyati kikar was introduced by the British, have filed a case citing damaging their environment. However, to tackle this menace, government has come up with a plan to remove the trees. It seems to be an impossible task as the tree species constitutes 80 per cent of the area. However, the recently developed Biodiversity Park is a living example of what can be done to revive a forest area. “Give me 10 years. I will change the face of Delhi forests, as I have done with Delhi BiodiversityPark,” declared C R Babu.