After Khori, demolition of illegal structures in other parts of Aravallis to start next week

The action comes a week after the Supreme Court, while hearing a case about demolition of Khori village in Faridabad, observed that “the direction to remove all unauthorised structures standing on the forest land applies to all such structures without any exception”

Officials of the Gurugram and Faridabad forest departments said that preparations are underway to raze all illegal structures in the Aravallis and that the groundwork is likely to start next week.

The Supreme Court had ordered demolition of around 10,000 illegal structures in Khori village of Faridabad. (Vipin Kumar/HT PHOTO)

The action comes a week after the Supreme Court, while hearing a case about demolition of Khori village in Faridabad, observed that “the direction to remove all unauthorised structures standing on the forest land applies to all such structures without any exception”.

In Gurugram, there are over 400 illegal farmhouses, among other structures, on Aravalli land, officials said.

Rajeev Tejyan, the divisional forest officer for Gurugram, said, “We are identifying all the illegal structures and notices will be sent (to the owners). We will follow all the directives of the Supreme Court and take action within four weeks.”

Raj Kumar, the divisional forest officer for Faridabad, said that the orders of the Supreme Court will be followed on priority and action on the ground action will start next week. “By Friday, notices will be sent about all these properties and four days will be given to them (property owners) to file a response. After that, from next week, a drone survey and ground verification will be carried out by the forest and district administration staff to understand the exact area before starting the demolition work,” said Kumar.

In Faridabad, officials have estimated that around 120-130 illegal structures are currently standing on land notified under the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA).

According to directives of the Supreme Court, the PLPA attracts protection under the Forest Conservation Act of 1980, which states that “no state government or other authority shall make, except with the prior approval of the central government, any order directing that any forest land or any portion thereof may be used for any non-forest purpose.”

On Thursday, 11 illegal structures were also demolished by the Sohna Municipal Council in the Raisina Aravallis.