In a significant move that gives stronger legal protection to one of the Capital’s most important ecological zones, the Delhi government has declared approximately 673.32 hectares of the Central Ridge area — that comes under the Western Forest Division and covers parts around Sardar Patel Marg and the President’s Estate —  as ‘reserved forest’ under Section 20 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927 . “The decision would prove to be a milestone in strengthening Delhi’s natural heritage, biodiversity, and ecological security,” Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was quoted as saying in an official statement by her office on Saturday. The move comes nearly 32 years after Delhi ’s Ridge areas were first notified under Section 4 of the Indian Forest Act on May 24, 1994. Section 4 is the preliminary notification that starts the process of constituting a reserved forest. Section 20 is the final notification that gives the area its enforceable reserved forest status after the claims and settlement process is completed.…