GAURAV VIVEK BHATNAGAR
The State of the Environment Report for Delhi 2010 has painted a grim picture for the Capital city by showing that it has only enough land left to support an increase in its population for only 10 years or so.
According to the report, Delhi's present population is about 18 million, making it one of the fastest growing urban centres in the country, considering that its population was 13.9 million in 2001, the increase has been nearly 4.1 million in nine years. As the net migration is expected to rise faster, Delhi's population as per the calculations would increase by another 4 million in less than nine years from now. So by 2019, Delhi's population is expected to reach 22 million. This is precisely the level when, as per the report, the Capital city would have reached its holding capacity.
According to the report, the population which can be accommodated in the 97,790.9 hectares of urbanisable land available in Delhi is 22 million. It stated that of the total area of 149,830 hectares in Delhi, the built up area (as per the IRS IC LISS III satellite data) in 1999 was 70,162 hectares or 47.31 per cent of the total area.
With natural features that include forests, wildlife sanctuaries, Ridge, Yamuna river and other water bodies and drains occupying 19,509.1 hectares or 13.16 per cent of total area, the total available land was 58,689 hectares or 39.53 per cent of the total area.
