Villagers urge CM to halt Aravalli demolitions

On Wednesday, a delegation of Anangpur villagers met the chief minister at the PWD Rest House in Gurugram.

Published on: Jul 17, 2025, 07:04:19 IST

By Leena Dhankhar

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Residents of Anangpur village in Faridabad have urged Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini to stop the planned demolition of thousands of structures flagged as illegal under the ongoing Aravalli forest land reclamation drive. The appeal comes weeks after a demolition campaign began in the village, following a 2023 state survey that identified over 5,900 unauthorised constructions in the region.

Residents of Anangpur village in Faridabad have urged Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini to stop the planned demolition. (Archives)

On Wednesday, a delegation of Anangpur villagers met the chief minister at the PWD Rest House in Gurugram. The group was accompanied by Union Minister of State Krishan Pal Gurjar, Ballabhgarh MLA Mool Chand Sharma, NIT Faridabad MLA Satish Fagna, and Badkhal MLA Dhanesh Adlakha. The leaders said the demolition poses a threat to the homes, livelihoods, and cultural legacy of one of Faridabad’s oldest settlements.

The drive stems from a 2022 Supreme Court directive ordering the removal of illegal structures from land protected under Section 4 of the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA), including areas in the ecologically sensitive Aravalli region. The state’s 2023 survey flagged over 5,900 unauthorised constructions—mostly farmhouses, banquet halls, gates, and boundary walls—across multiple villages. More than 5,000 of these fall under forest department jurisdiction. To be sure, the residents do not hold any documents since it is a forest land.

Anangpur was among the first to face action under the expanded Aravalli reclamation campaign, which began last month and is expected to extend to other Faridabad villages, including Lakkarpur, Mewla Maharajpur, and Ankhir. Similar notices have also been served in Gurugram’s Gairatpur Bas, Sakatpur, and Manesar.

After the meeting, chief minister Saini reiterated the government’s commitment to the court’s orders but expressed sympathy for the villagers. “The state government fully respects the directions of the Supreme Court. However, we are equally sensitive to the sentiments of the people. Many of these families have lived in Anangpur for generations. We are committed to finding a balanced path that safeguards both our environment and our citizens,” he said.

CM Saini added that the matter would be placed before the state Coordination Committee, which will prepare a formal petition to the Supreme Court seeking appropriate relief. “Our aim is not to displace law-abiding citizens. We will represent their case through legal channels and request the court to consider the historical and humanitarian aspects of the issue,” the chief minister said.

Ballabhgarh MLA Mool Chand Sharma underscored the emotional and historical significance of the village. “Anangpur is centuries old. Residents here have lived through generations. We requested the Chief Minister to ensure their voices are heard in court. His assurance to present their case legally offers hope,” he said.

“Political parties, including the opposition, appear to be anti-environment in their stance on the Anangpur demolition issue,” said environmentalist S.S. Oberoi. “Instead of supporting the implementation of the Supreme Court’s orders for environmental protection, they have united in opposition as deadlines continue to be ignored.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leena Dhankhar
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More

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