Over 1,000 trees axed in Aravallis, environmentalists write to forest dept

Sumedha Sharma

Tribune News Service

Gurugram, January 20

In what has yet again highlighted official apathy towards dying Aravallis, more than 1,000 trees have allegedly been fell illegally and forest land encroached upon for the construction of a colony on 15 acre at Behalpa village on Damdama road.

The matter came to fore when a group of environmentalists visited the site. They have now written to Principal Chief Conservator, Forest, Haryana, seeking immediate action.

“Last week, few of us visited the site in forest areas of Behalpa. Right on Damadama Lok Marg road in Behalpa as one turns left to go inside the forest, huge tracts of land under Aravallis plantation have been encroached upon. Approximately 15 acre or maybe more land has been encroached. The area falls under Aravallis plantation, Mustil no. 17, 18 and 24. Hundreds of trees have been felled and Pahari area has been levelled using JCBs. The encroached area has been fenced with barbed wires. On Mustil no. 24, a 12-ft high boundary wall has been constructed along with a room. JCB has been used here, too, to level earth and the area has been cordoned off by the 12-ft high concrete wall,” the letter read.

The complainants Vaishali Rana, Vivek Kamboj, Col SS Oberoi, PN Singh, Col Santpal Raghav, Roma Jaiswal, Zenith Choudhary and Ramavtar Yadav, a former sarpanch, accused the forest officials concerned of lacking the will to perform and carry out their duties in Gurugram and Faridabad to protect the Aravallis.

“One can only infer that either it’s their laidback attitude or some vested interest. Consequence of which, bit by bit, acre by acre, Aravallis are disappearing and fragmenting. Classic case of protectors being predators!! Kindly, pull them up. Their inaction is making us doubt the integrity of the top brass of forest department too. No matter how much we report, there is repeated inaction of your staff,” added the letter.

“If you see before and after image of the area you will find not just forest cover gone but even the water body reduced to 1/3rd of its original expanse. The officials plead ignorance while it’s their duty to keep a check on what is happening in forest. There is dire need for revival of Aravalli Task Force, revival of checkposts which were reduced by a former forest minister. Increase the number of forest guards and usage of drone to patrol the area,” suggested environmentalist Vaishali Rana.