Delhi Ridge: In Danger

The capital city of Delhi is spread around a dry deciduous forestland known as Delhi Ridge, which is a part of the Aravalli hills, one of the oldest mountain systems in the world. This small forest tract remain the ‘green lung’ for more than 12 million people of Delhi and has a crucial role in pollution absorption, groundwater recharge and amelioration of environment. It is the only natural forest in Delhi and boasts a wide variety of plant, animal, bird and insect species.

In Rajasthan, khejri is worshipped which is called the jhand tree in Delhi. It is the state tree of Rajasthan and provincial tree of the Sindh province of Pakistan. Large and well known example of species is Tree of Life in Bahrain– approximately 400 years old specimen growing in desert devoid of any sources of water.

It likes sandy, deep soil because it has incredibly deep roots—30-40m—so one will only find jhand in old riverbeds like this, or Lodhi Gardens. People eat the fruit of the tree. The bark saved lives during the Great Rajputana Famine (1868-70), because one can make flour out of it. The leaves make great fodder, bees love the flowers.

The Vilayati Babul and the Khejri found in Rajasthan both belong to the same sub-family - Prosopis. But while the Vilayati Babul is rampant - and has to be weeded out each year from the Delhi Ridge - the Khejri is much rarer.

We all know what the vilayati kikar, introduced by the British from Central America at the turn of the 20th century, has done. It has invaded with alarming speed, killed off native flora and established itself all over the Ridge.

As the Geological Survey of India puts it ‘the Ridge must be maintained in its pristine glory and no further infringements are permitted’.

Photo caption: "The C in C's camp, Delhi, from the famous Ridge" (probably Badli ki Serai), an albumen print attributed to Lawrie, c.1886

Further Reading links

http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/9JI3CzYdL0Suhz3tmKZZjJ/It-is-critical-to-plant-the-right-trees-Pradip-Krishen.html

http://toxicslink.org/delhiridge/

http://www.harappa.com/hawkshaw/58.html

http://www.indiasite.com/delhi/places/northernridge.html

http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Researchers-find-out-secret-to-Delhi-Ridge-s-ravaging-plant/Article1-683377.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosopis_cineraria