India, July 11 -- Clearance from the central government needs to be sought for undertaking work on a 3.58-hectare forest patch, which is part of the Bijwasan Rail Terminal station project in Dwarka Sector 21, as it meets the criteria for a "deemed" forest, the Delhi forest and wildlife department informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

The department stated that it conducted a fresh assessment using data from the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA), the project proponent.

To be sure, a "deemed" forest is not a notified or a reserve forest. In Delhi, any area exceeding 2.5 acres with more than 100 trees per acre is considered a "deemed" forest. Similarly, 1-km stretches of roads and drains with the same density are also considered...