Failure to demolish illegal constructions on Aravali lands sparks criticism in Gurgaon

The district administration in Gurgaon, India, has failed to comply with an order from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to demolish illegal constructions on protected Aravali lands. Despite the NGT's directive to set up monitoring committees and halt encroachments, construction activities continue, sparking criticism from environmentalists. The forest department revealed that numerous farmhouses have been illegally built on the Aravalis. Activists argue that the NGT's orders to protect the Aravalis are being ignored, and they question why the authorities have not taken action to enforce the directives.

Despite a directive issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) over five months ago, the district administration has yet to take action to demolish illegal constructions on protected Aravali lands in the city. The NGT, on December 9 of the previous year, had instructed the Haryana government to establish monitoring committees to oversee the progress of removing encroachments on land designated as 'gair mumkin pahar' (uncultivable hill) in Gurgaon, Faridabad, and Nuh. However, no committee has been formed to date.

Environmentalists raised concerns recently, alleging that instead of complying with the NGT order and taking necessary action, the district administration has allowed construction activities to continue in areas like Raisina. They claim that several new boundary walls have been constructed for farmhouse developments, indicating a blatant disregard for the NGT's directives.

Responding to the allegations, Deputy Commissioner Nishant Yadav stated that he has instructed the sub-district magistrate of Sohna to initiate demolition drives in Raisina. He further revealed that it had come to his attention that mined stones were being used for construction in Raisina. In response, he has directed the Sohna SDM to take weekly actions to remove all encroachments and prepare a timetable for large-scale demolition drives. The SDM has acknowledged the small-scale removal of encroachments but admitted that no significant demolition drives have been conducted thus far.

The areas designated as 'gair mumkin pahar' are protected under Section 4 of the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA), which strictly prohibits tree felling and any form of construction without permission. In a forest department survey conducted last year, it was discovered that at least 500 farmhouses had been illegally constructed on the Aravalis in Gurgaon, with concentrations in areas such as Gwalpahari, Abheypur, Gairatpur Bas, Sohna, Raisena, and Manesar.

The forest department had previously informed the NGT in August 2022 that the Municipal Corporation of Sohna had demolished 80 structures out of the 424 structures falling under its jurisdiction. Additionally, there was a stay order in place for 165 farmhouses. The Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) had also taken action by removing 59 violations in the Sikandarpur Ghosi area and reclaiming five acres of land. In Gwalpahari, MCG had cleared encroachments on seven acres of land and identified and demolished nineteen farmhouses constructed in violation in Bandhwari village.

Activists expressed frustration at the lack of concrete action on the ground despite multiple orders from the NGT to protect the Aravalis. They pointed out that very few old constructions have been removed in Raisina, while new walls and buildings continue to be erected. These actions directly contradict the NGT's judgments to remove encroachments and restore the Aravalis, as well as the formation of a district-level committee to enforce the NGT's orders. Forest analyst Chetan Agarwal questioned why it has been so challenging to adhere to these directives and called for urgent compliance.

Next (TDR tangle stalls real estate projects in Ahmedabad)

Failure to demolish illegal constructions on Aravali lands sparks criticism in Gurgaon

This Month

Overview

Explore

Join Us