Aravalli encroachments on 25 acres under lens, drone survey to be completed this week

The encroachments in the Aravallis were in addition to encroachments on 225 acres identified in the last week of August. Drone survey report to be filed later this week

The Gurugram forest department identified encroachments on 25 acres of the Aravalli forests — in addition to encroachments on 225 acres identified last month — during an ongoing drone survey, officials said on Sunday.

According to the records of the forest department, 16,803 acres of the Aravallis are protected under the Punjab Land Preservation Act. (HT Archive)

The survey is likely to finish this week but more encroachments are likely to be identified, officials said.

A senior official of the state forest department, who did not wish to be named, said, “From our survey, we are still finding encroachments in different pockets of Aravalli land with colonies set up in those areas. At present, encroachments in 25 acres of plantation area have been identified, but more such encroachments are likely to be found. Both plantation areas and forest areas are being surveyed and final reports will be ready this week.”

The official cited above said that the apex court is scheduled to hear a case regarding encroachments in Aravallis on Tuesday, where a status report of the action taken will be submitted. After the hearing, the next course of action will be decided.

Meanwhile, the forest department is likely to demolish a few farmhouses in Gwal Pahari region of Gurugram later this week.

In the last week of August, the Gurugram forest department identified encroachments on 225 acres of the Aravallis in the district. The encroachments comprise illegal farmhouses and residential colonies, concentrated in Sohna, Gwal Pahari and Raisina areas. Officials had also predicted in a survey report that the total area of encroachments is likely to exceed 250 acres in the district.

According to the records of the forest department, 16,803 acres of the Aravallis are protected 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.”