new delhi the outskirts of delhi and lowdensity villages are likely to play a key role in the future of the capital with the draft master plan for delhi 2041s green development area policy envisaging the creation and utilisation of green belts not only to act as a natural buffer to pollution and dust but also provide economic benefits as green entertainment hubs weekend destinations and theme parks such spaces will also create green jobs by encouraging production of food and other natural produce horticulture and forestry floriculture solar fields and smriti vans nonpolluting cyber and knowledgerelated industries can also be allowed to develop in green development areas gdaaccording to the draft plan gda areas will be characterised by significantly lower floorarea ratio with a large chunk wooded and under green cover the policy states lowdensity residential areas that have a concentration of farmhouses and stretches along delhis border could be used to create such hubs these will largely use reused wastewater have a 100 decentralised waste facility and 30 of the onsite energy requirement will be met through renewable energythe policy will however not be applicable to land in unauthorised colonies under litigation or those in lal dora areas and notified forests the draft mpd41 says gda aims to provide environmentally sustainable development options to enable landowners to achieve the economic value of lands with provision of connectivity and infrastructure for physical and functional integration of these areas with the main city at present three grades of development are permitted within gda with grade 1 consisting of plots of a minimum area of 600 sq metres grade 2 area of 4000 sq m or higher and grade 3 10000 sq m or higherin grade1 activities such as agriculture horticulture smriti vans burial grounds crematoriums wastewater treatment facilities composting facility and solar fields are permitted while zoological parks openair mandis sports facilities primary and secondary education facilities green houses resorts motels and clubs will be permitted in grade 2 grade3 areas include spaces for amusement parks concert spaces green houses convention and exhibition centres and nonpolluting work centres like knowledge and the cyber industrygrade1 does not require mandatory wooded areas but grade 2 has to have 15 of the plot area wooded and grade 3 45 all developments shall adhere to prescribed green ratings and any violation of these norms shall be penalised the plan saysexperts question how the policy would effectively create recreational hubs on the outskirts of delhi it sounds good on paper but you have to provide a significant value to the farmer to give up his land in order to encourage people to go to such areas access needs to be improved too said paras tyagi cofounder of ngo cycleindia