Delhi [India], August 25 (ANI): The Delhi High court on Thursday issued notice to Delhi Government and others on a plea seeking direction for initiating a training mechanism and laying down a standard operating procedure (SOP) for hearing of the complaint related to violation of the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994.

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], June 17 (ANI): The Odisha Government on Thursday formed a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the death and the recovery of elephants skeletons from Athagarh Forest Division in Cuttack district.

Mamurpur (New Delhi) [India], April 9 (ANI): The Butterfly Garden that was recently inaugurated by the Indian Forest Services (IFS) officer Ishwar Singh in Mamurpur nursery near the Singhu border on Tuesday, has become a popular destination for visitors in Delhi.

New Delhi Feb 22 PTI The Delhi Minorities Commission has issued a restraining order on the forest department after residents of Sangam Vihar in south Delhi claimed they are being charged Rs 10 to enter a graveyard inside the Asola Bhatti Wildlife SanctuaryWhile forest officials did not comment on the issue a source said the entry fee had been imposed in September last year to regulate the movement of people in the sanctuary and minimise disturbance to wildlifeThe entry fee is for the sanctuary and not the graveyard the source saidThe graveyard is located near the wildlife sanctuarys boundary with Sangam Vihar which is the largest unauthorised colony in AsiaAccording to Dula Khan the general secretary of the Sangam Vihar Qabristan Committee the graveyard measures around five hectares and is more than 35 years oldAuthorities in the past had allowed people to visit it despite it being on forest land he saidThis is the first time that people from Sangam Vihar and nearby areas are being asked to pay Rs 10 to enter the graveyard he claimedThe minorities commission in its order to the forest department said a complaint has been filed by the Sangam Vihar Qabristan CommitteeFor more than six months Rs 10 per person is being charged as sanctuary entrance permit by the Department of Forest and Wildlife even from the people who are visiting the graveyard for burial and last rites purposes the order quoted the complainant as sayingAccording to the deputy conservator of forest concerned an entry fee of Rs 10 is being charged as per the provisions of the Delhi Wildlife Protection Rules 1973 the panel saidAs per the notification Delhi Wildlife Protection Rules a fee can be charged only for tourism and transaction of lawful business with any person residing in the sanctuary it saidThe panel stated that people visiting the graveyard for burial and last rites of their loved ones do not fall in the two categories mentioned in the said notificationTill the time a decision is taken on the representation made by the Sangam Vihar Qabristan Committee for not charging an entrance fee Deputy Conservator of Forest South Division is hereby restrained from charging entrance fee from the people visiting Sangam Vihar Qabristan for burial and performing rites of their loved ones as per rituals The panel said that to keep a check on entrance and to avoid any trespass into the sanctuary an entry pass can be issued without any charge for two to three hours to those visiting the graveyardThe Sangam Vihar Qabristan Committee has also been directed to ensure that people enter the graveyard strictly based on an entrance pass issued by the DCF South DivisionTerming it a very sensitive issue panel Chairman Zakir Khan said the commission had summoned DCF South Division in connection with the matter on February 17Khan said the panel has the power of a civil court and if the forest department wants a stay order it will have to move the high courtWhen people lose their loved ones they are already going through a lot In such circumstances asking them to pay Rs 10 to enter a graveyard is uncalled for he saidThe entry fee should be withdrawn We have told the forest department that action can be taken against people if they enter areas other than the graveyard Khan addedThe forest department has also forwarded the Sangam Vihar Qabristan Committees representation seeking withdrawal of the entry fee to the minister concerned he saidThe commission will hear the matter again on May 10 The wildlife sanctuary covering 3271 sq-km area on the Southern Delhi Ridge of Aravalli hill range on the Delhi-Haryana border lies in Southern Delhi and northern parts of Faridabad and Gurugram districts of HaryanaIt is part of the Northern Aravalli leopard wildlife corridor which extends from the Sariska National Park in Rajasthan to the Delhi Ridge PTI GVS NSD NSD

New Delhi [India], September 15 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Wednesday criticised the Delhi government for its "lethargic attitude" on processing the forest clearance required to complete a 100-bedded hospital in the Najafgarh area.