India, Aug. 2 -- The Delhi government will now issue a final notification granting complete protection to the Southern Ridge without conducting the previously planned ground verification, the state forest and wildlife department has informed in an affidavit to the National Green Tribunal.

The change in stance comes a week after the department had said that it will carry out the verification across 12 south Delhi villages in the next six months.

The timeline for the notification will be shared with NGT, the department added in the affidavit dated July 31.

The issue has been a long-pending one. During a hearing on July 25, the amicus curiae in the case argued that it has been four years since the NGT sought notification of the southern R...