Gurugram: The Ministry of Forestry will now include all forest areas in a sustainable survey to map illegal encroachment in Aravalis in Gurugram and Faridabad using drones.
Previously, the plan was to conduct a survey of only forest land protected by Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLA).
The decision to conduct a survey was initially taken at a meeting led by Deputy Commissioner Yash Garg earlier this month after the Supreme Court’s orders to remove all encroachment from the forest area.
While hearing the request for encroachment at Faridabad Aravalis, The Apex Court had ordered the demolition of 10,000 houses in Khori Village.
“According to SC orders, we conduct surveys for illegal encroachment throughout the forest region of two districts.
This includes 7,019 hectares in Gurugram and 8,688 hectares in Faridabad.
Aravali plantation area also overlaps with the PLPA area,” said Vinod Kumar, Haryana additional school principals The main forest.
Previously, the department planned to survey 6,800 hectares under the PLPA in Gurgaon and 5,430 hectares in Faridabad.
After the survey has registered the type of structure built in and around forest areas, the forestry department will go through the record and identify illegal.
“The survey is on the right track.
We held a meeting with all administrators of Gurugram and MCG officials on the ongoing drone survey this week.
The list will be prepared based on a survey report and then the demolition of letters will be sent to the owner of illegal structure,” said Vs Tanwar , Head of the Main Forest Conservator, Haryana.
It is often seen that villagers around Aravalis, allocated land by the government for agriculture, sells it to private developers, which in turn, build farming houses and other structures.
Khori, for example, is one of the villages that appear illegally in forest land.
Meanwhile, environmental lovers show that since the government Haryana has not resolved the definition of forest until now, the survey will still leave an area that has not been declared a forest.
“The government has not resolved the definition of forests, and thus many forest areas have not been included in the survey.
Should submit a list of fields that are part of the natural conservation zone to the unification of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in 2019, which is still delayed,” said Vaishali Rana Chandra, an environmental activist.
In Gurugram, around 4,180 hectares fall in the “Unchanted” category, while Faridabad has 3,436 hectares.
“If Haryana decides the definition of forests, the region will get more clarity about the definition of Gair Mumkin Pahah (hill that is not incorporated), BHTHE (Sand Dunes) and Foothills.
Also, more areas will be identified as forests and can be included in arabalis.
Times need to define the forest to protect and preserve it, “said Vivek Cambogaj, an environmental lover.