Gurugram authority likely to penalise those encroaching on green belts

Last month, the GMDA had removed encroachments from a 1.5-km-long green belt near Guru Dronacharya Metro station. Nearly seven restaurants, nurseries, and a few concrete structures were removed from that area

The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) is working on a plan to impose penalties on those encroaching on green belts in the city, said officials on Thursday.

The GMDA has also decided to develop around 300 kilometres of green belts across Gurugram this year, and plant different species of plants there over the next three years, to increase green spaces in the city. (Representational image/HT Archive)

Under the GMDA norms, no action can be taken against those encroaching on green belts at present.

“If someone encroaches on a green belt in any part of the city, we can only remove those through anti-encroachment drives, or if someone destroys a fence or cuts a tree, we can contact the forest department. But the GMDA does not have any provision to take action against anyone... Such a provision is much needed because we cannot keep developing these places again and again. We are preparing a proposal, which will be sent to the senior authorities for approval,” said Subhash Yadav, head of the urban environment division of GMDA.

The official, however, did not give any particular timeline about when the proposal is likely to be tabled.

Last month, the GMDA had removed encroachments from a 1.5-km-long green belt near Guru Dronacharya Metro Station. Nearly seven restaurants, nurseries, and a few concrete structures were removed from that area.

The GMDA has also decided to develop around 300 kilometres of green belts across Gurugram this year, and plant different species of plants there over the next three years, to increase green spaces in the city.

The authority is developing these green belts by planting one particular species of trees on a single stretch, so that every road can be identified with that particular tree. It is also installing fences along the green belts in the city, so that the plants are not destroyed, and are protected from encroachment.

The authority has prepared an action plan for the project, which will focus on covering 100 kilometres for this financial year. Officials said that initial works like fencing, digging of soil, and putting in fertilisers among others have started at certain stretches.