Home / Environment / Environmentalists Hail NCR Plan 2041's Green Reversal
Environmentalists Hail NCR Plan 2041's Green Reversal
8 Jun
Summary
- NCR Plan 2041 retains 'Natural Conservation Zone', crucial for environmental protection.
- A draft plan had controversially replaced 'Natural Conservation Zone' with 'Natural Zone'.
- Environmental groups successfully campaigned against the term change, citing risks.
The National Capital Region (NCR) is set to adopt the Regional Plan 2041, replacing the existing 2021 plan. Environmental advocates are celebrating the decision to retain 'Natural Conservation Zone' (NCZ) as a key component, ensuring continued environmental protection.
A previous draft of the 2041 plan, released in 2022, had proposed changing the designation from 'Natural Conservation Zone' to 'Natural Zone.' This alteration raised significant alarms among environmentalists, who feared it would undermine conservation efforts for critical natural assets.
Activists, including those from the Aravalli Bachao Citizens Movement, mobilized public opposition through protests and formal objections. They argued that the term 'Natural Zone' lacked the mandatory conservation requirements of NCZ, potentially risking the future of the Aravallis, forests, and water bodies within the NCR.
The NCR Planning Board's agenda for its June 16 meeting confirmed the retention of the NCZ concept. This decision provides a significant relief, as the 2021 plan restricts construction in NCZs to just 0.5% of the total area, ensuring their preservation.
