Plea in National Green Tribunal to curb construction activity in Aravallis

NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal has sought response from the Centre on a plea seeking directions to prevent construction activities in Aravallis including Mangarbani forest.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar issued notice to the Environment Ministry, Ministry of Urban Development, Delhi government and others while seeking their reply within two weeks.

The matter is posted for hearing on July 10. The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by advocate Gaurav Bansal, appearing for Legal Aid Committee National Green Tribunal Bar Association, against grant of licence or change of land use in Aravallis which form part of Natural Conservation Zones (NCZs) like forests, water bodies and waste lands in the National Capital Region.

"Non forest activities including pucca and semi pucca constructions done by the land mafia in the Aravallis also raises a serious question on the intention of Haryana to protect the Natural Conservation Zone in the state," the plea said.

It also sought direction to "demolish the pucca and semi pucca constructions" done within the Aravalli ridge in Haryana.

It alleged that "under the protection of Haryana government, people are carrying out pucca and semi pucca constructions in the Aravallis forests".

Earlier, in an affidavit filed before the tribunal, National Capital Region Planning Board ( NCRPB) had submitted that the shrinkage is in Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and NCT-Delhi.

According to NCRPB, the shrinkage of NCZ in Haryana sub-region is 25.97 per cent, 15.43 per cent in NCT Delhi, 43.88 per cent in Uttar Pradesh sub-region and 11.18 per cent in Rajasthan sub-region.