Nuh sarpanch suspended for illegal Aravalli road after SC panel flags violations

The CEC report, submitted to the apex court on April 15, flagged serious breaches of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, and the Punjab Land Preservation Act, 1900

The Nuh district administration on Tuesday suspended the sarpanch of Basai Meo village in a crackdown on forest law violations for allegedly enabling the illegal construction of a 1.5-kilometre road through protected Aravalli forest land, following the findings by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) submitted to the Supreme Court.

A team razed illegal construction and road in Aravalli land of Basai Meo village in Ferozepur Jhirka on Tuesday. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

Nuh Deputy Commissioner Vishram Kumar Meena said the sarpanch was suspended under Section 51(1)(i) of the Haryana Panchayati Raj Act, 1994, for “misusing his powers and violating forest laws”. “We have taken the findings of the CEC very seriously. An illegal road passing through forest land cannot be tolerated. After preliminary inquiry and legal vetting, the Sarpanch of Basai Meo has been suspended for dereliction of duty and enabling this environmental crime,” Meena said.

The CEC report, submitted to the apex court on April 15, flagged serious breaches of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, and the Punjab Land Preservation Act, 1900, citing environmental degradation, destruction of wildlife habitat, and administrative inaction.

The road, according to the report, was built using heavy machinery without legal clearances, slicing through notified forest and agricultural land. The construction, which began in October 2024 and ended in April 2025, disrupted decades-old Aravalli plantations and wildlife corridors, particularly those vital for leopard movement, the report mentioned. The committee further noted a “non-cooperative attitude” from senior revenue officials, some of whom allegedly skipped multiple meetings on the issue. It also hinted at possible collusion with local political actors and mining mafias, the report said.

The case stems from a petition filed by residents of Basai Meo village in November last year, alleging that a road illegally constructed through forest and agricultural land was facilitating the transportation of stones mined from the Aravallis in Nuh to Rajasthan via the border village of Biwan. Hindustan Times had reported in January that the forest department had initiated action against three revenue officials accused of enabling this unlawful road construction. Following the Central Empowered Committee’s findings, the Supreme Court bench took serious note of the environmental damage and directed the Collector and Deputy Superintendent of Police, Nuh, to ensure that no further work on the road be allowed “with immediate effect.” The court also issued a notice to the Haryana government, seeking an explanation on the violations and the role of its officials in permitting such destruction in an ecologically sensitive area.

According to locals, the road is currently not in use anymore, vehicular movement reportedly stopped in the last week of April.

Responding to the report, the administration has deployed multi-departmental enforcement teams—comprising officials from the mining, forest, excise, and police departments—to curb further environmental damage and monitor unauthorised activities. “We have positioned multi-departmental check-posts across the affected stretch and are also in the process of initiating departmental proceedings against other officials named in the CEC report,” Meena added.

The Supreme Court had earlier on April 15 ordered the Haryana government to halt all illegal construction in the region and initiate ecological restoration. The CEC has recommended immediate reforestation using native species, a ban on motorable access through the area, and real-time satellite monitoring to deter future encroachments.

Environmental groups have welcomed the action. “This is not just about one road. It reflects a deep-rooted nexus between politics, land grabbers, and bureaucratic silence. We hope this action marks the beginning of systemic accountability,” said Vishali Rana, an environmentalist who had brought the issue to the court’s notice.

The Nuh administration has assured full cooperation with the Supreme Court and committed to filing regular updates on restoration and accountability measures.