GURUGRAM: The
National Green Tribunal (
NGT) has stayed the construction of a 3km-long road illegally built through the
Aravalis in Gurugram’s
Sakatpur and Shikohpur villages.
The tribunal has also sent show-cause notices to the forest department and PWD, seeking their replies on the matter.
The 3km stretch, which starts from Sakatpur hill junction and ends near a temple, is being constructed allegedly by clearing forestland to provide a direct access to some farmhouses there from the NH-8. “Why there shall not be an absolute stay on the project alleged to have been commenced illegally and without lawful authority… the private company which is executing the work on behalf of the forest department shall not proceed with the work, except on direction of this tribunal,” states an interim order of the NGT (a copy of which is with TOI).
Environmental activist Daniel George, who is also the petitioner in this case, said the road was a precursor to larger commercial activities. “It is believed that the road has only been constructed to facilitate easy access to the farmhouses from NH-8, causing irreversible harm to the area. The construction is being carried out without obtaining a prior approval as mandated under Section 2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. Moreover, provisions of the Punjab Land Preservation Act, 1990, and Section 9 of the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994, as applicable to Gurugram, have not been followed,” he alleged.
The petition was filed after TOI reported on February 24 how landsharks constructed a 3km-long road through the Aravalis in Sakatpur and Shikohpur villages despite a ban on non-forest activities in the ecologically fragile range. Though the exact number of trees felled for the road is not known, local villagers alleged that at least 500 trees had been chopped to clear the way for the illegal road.
