GURUGRAM: Heaps of industrial waste and traces of leachate were spotted inside dense
Aravali forests, barely 100 metres from NH-8 and 500 metres from Government Polytechnic in
Manesar, triggering protest by environmentalists who slammed the forest department for turning a blind eye to such rampant violations in the protected zone.
On Monday, this correspondent visited the spot and found industrial waste - insulated sheets, metal pieces, plastic and cement bags, etc - littered in an area spread over 3.5 acres. Also, some waste piles were located near a pond spread over two acres with hazardous materials and leachate spilling into its water, contaminating the groundwater too. The area falls in an area that is protected under sections 4 and 5 of the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA), and thus, no non-forest activity is allowed there.
Locals alleged they had seen a dozen of trucks and tractors, carrying industrial waste allegedly from industrial units at IMT-Manesar, coming into the forests at night.
"Waste dumping has been going on for the past one month or so. Initially, waste was being dumped along with the highway. However, after we alerted the forest authorities, vehicles starting moving deep inside the forests and dumping waste farther from public view," said Sushil Kumar, a villager.
KK Yadav, a retired chief town planner, who raised the alarm a few days ago, said, "This rampant violation is having a disastrous impact on the flora and fauna of the Aravalis. Also, leachate is flowing into a water body near a check dam created by the forest department. Wild animals can die after consuming this polluted water."
Yadav has already written to the forest department and the chief minister office, seeking to draw their attention to the environmental violation here, but in vain.
According to a survey conducted by Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in 2017, the parts of the Aravalis that fall in Manesar are one of the most sensitive areas. Moreover, the forest department, in its response to an RTI query, had revealed that the area was part of a leopard corridor and housed as many as 15 big cats and nine other carnivorous species - all protected under the
Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
Officials in the Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation said the area was under the jurisdiction of the forest department, washing their hands of the row. When contacted, Deepak Nanda, district forest officer, Gurugram, said, "I have directed our staff to inspect the area. We will take stern action if anyone is found violating PLPA norms."
