GURUGRAM: On Friday, approximately 25 acres of encroached land in the Raisina Hills of Sohna were cleared in a demolition drive focused on the Aravalis. The operation, led by the forest department, aimed to dismantle boundary walls, farmhouses, and other illegal structures on protected land. Officials stated that this action seeks to reclaim forest and PLPA-notified areas that have faced extensive illegal encroachments over the years.
“We are committed to removing encroachments on forest and Aravali land. Additional drives will be conducted in the upcoming days. Notices will be published in newspapers, allowing 10 days for public responses before further demolitions occur district-wide,” Raj Kumar, the divisional forest officer of Gurgaon, informed TOI.
The Raisina Aravalis are designated as ‘gair mumkin pahad’, a protected and uncultivable hill zone under the Punjab Land Preservation Act of 1900 and the Aravali notification of 1992. The Union environment ministry’s notification identifies ‘gair mumkin pahad’ as protected territory, where any construction, electrification, or tree removal requires official approval.
This area has been under closer examination since the National Green Tribunal (NGT) highlighted violations in various petitions concerning land sales and construction. The tribunal directed Haryana to prevent any non-forest activities and rehabilitate degraded zones. “Our focus is on restoring the ecological balance of the region,” the DFO added.
A forest department survey indicates that at least 500 farmhouses have been illegally constructed on Aravali land in Gurgaon, particularly in regions like Gwal Pahari, Abheypur, Gairatpur Bas, Sohna, Raisina, and Manesar.
In May of this year, an NGT bench, led by chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, instructed the Haryana chief secretary to ensure no illegal construction or tree removal occurs in the area and to submit an affidavit detailing the actions taken.
Last year, the NGT took notice of a TOI report regarding unlawful construction at Ansals Aravali Retreat in Raisina, issuing notifications to authorities for the rebuilding of demolished structures, which was deemed a “flagrant violation” of prior orders.
On December 9, 2022, the NGT directed the state governments of Haryana and Rajasthan to form monitoring committees for quarterly reviews on encroachment clearance in ‘gair mumkin pahad’ regions of Gurgaon, Faridabad, Nuh, and Alwar. Although the district administration has conducted several demolitions, unauthorized activities persist. The tribunal also mandated the chief secretaries of both states to ensure compliance with its orders.
