Illegal extensions of 200 homes on protected Jharsa dam land razed

GURUGRAM: Concrete and green extensions of over 200 houses illegally encroaching upon protected forest land along the 150-year-old Jharsa dam were flattened during a major drive carried out jointly by forest and civic officials on Tuesday.

Three earthmovers, in the presence of over 150 policemen, 25 staff members of the forest department and six officials of MCG, razed everything along a 2.5km-long stretch in Sector 15 (Part 2).

Officials said the much-awaited crackdown kicked off around 10am and continued for over five hours to remove squatters from this highly eco-sensitive area that is part of the natural drainage of Jharsa dam. Further, according to forest officials, the area is protected under sections 4 and 5 of the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA).

Deepak Nanda, district forest official, said it was one of the most difficult anti-encroachment drives carried out in the city recently. “There were more than 200 houses. As it was a heavily populated area, it was difficult to carry out demolition. A lot of people had gathered, posing hurdles. However, forest officials, with the help from MCG and police, were successful in removing the encroachments,” Nanda said.

The authorities are planning to carry out restoration work in the area. “The area will be restored to protect the natural drainage,” added Nanda.

A survey report released by MCG in April had revealed that nearly 28% of the catchment areas of Jharsa bandh, one of the four existing check dams in the city, had been encroached by individuals, private as well as government organisations.

During the survey, which was launched around one and a half years ago and concluded in April, it was found that individuals, a private hospital and even Huda had ‘usurped’ land in the bandh’s catchment areas that belonged to the forest department. Encroachments were mainly detected in sectors 15, 38 and areas around NH-8, among others.

Built in the 19th century, Jharsa dam, which was once 10-km long, has now been reduced to about four kilometre, due to rampant encroachments and lack of maintenance. Currently, the dam’s catchment areas stretch from Rajiv Chowk to Civil Lines and sectors 15, 38, 46 and 47, acting as buffer for areas in Old Gurugram and along Sohna Road during monsoon.

Records (of before 1958) available with the forest department suggest there were 118 bunds in Gurugram, Faridabad, Mewat and surrounding areas. After a survey carried out a couple of years ago, Huda had released a list of 63 check dams made during the British era in Gurugram. But today there are only four dams, Jharsa being one of them, are left in the city.

Local residents have for long been demanding action to clear the encroachments to facilitate smooth flow of the storm water into the dam, especially during monsoon. “For many years, the dam had protected villagers from floods. However, encroachments ate into its catchment areas over the years,” said a resident, requesting anonymity.