James Cameron, the director of the globally acclaimed film Avatar, once said that his film was a lesson for humankind to stop damaging the environment. But blockbuster movies such as Avatar, the stark evidence of climate change around us, and green awareness campaigns have still not made us realise that we cannot any longer mess with our environment and that the human race must formulate strong policies to protect the environment. But we continue to pollute our skies, our oceans and rivers, denude our forests and exhaust our natural resources in the name of development. If the life-sustaining systems of our planet get choked, who will be left to enjoy the fruits of this so-called development? It will be a hopeless future for us and our children.

For landlocked areas especially, forests are the most vital life-sustaining systems. They do much more than provide a green canopy. They purify the air, bind the soil, prevent floods, help in water recharge, and are home to some rare species of flora and fauna. Perhaps that is why they are called the healing forests.

For a city like Gurugram, where air pollution is high, porous ground surface is negligible and green belts are few and far between, the presence of the Aravallis is the lifeline for the city’s residents and the last vestige of hope for the city’s fast-degrading environment.

Gurugram sadly is also a city where hungry real-estate developers are vying to grab every any inch of land for construction and profiteering. This mountain range of India that majestically lines the skyline of the city has been under a constant threat. A few activists have been trying to save this precious cover through petitions and court orders. But they find themselves up against a powerful lobby.

Recently, in a blatantly irresponsible move, the 118-year-old Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA), which legally protects and preserves the Aravallis, was amended in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha, opening room for uninhibited construction in the Aravallis. Environmentalists are calling this amendment nothing short of an “ecological disaster”.

The Act protects areas ‘not notified’ under the Indian Forest Act as reserve or protected forest in Punjab and Haryana.

In effect, the PLPA in Haryana extends protection to forests and trees on private lands, community lands, panchayat and municipal lands in both the Aravallis in South Haryana and the Shivaliks in North Haryana.

The amendment accords unlimited powers to the government to classify land as it pleases. This will legalise all the illegal transactions, mining and construction undertaken on these lands. At risk are 16,000 plus acres of forest in Gurugram and 10,000 plus acres of forest in Faridabad, as well as 10,000 acres of Shivalik hills around Chandigarh.

Natural forests, such as the Aravallis and the Shivaliks, should be permanently protected for all times to come. After all, forest land cannot simply be treated as surplus land available to be utilised for expanding cities, mining or being cut up to build roads.

The Aravallis help restore environment by being our green lungs that fight pollution. The cracks and fissures in its hills act as the only large-scale groundwater recharge zone. This is a region that has limited rainfall, and the groundwater extraction rate in Gurugram is 300% over the recharge rate.

Besides, the ranges act as a watershed for nullahs and lakes such as Badhkal, Dhauj and Damdama lakes. It confines in itself 400-plus species of native trees, herbs and shrubs and eight types of eco-systems that exist in dry conditions. It has 200-plus bird species, including native and migratory birds, and a rich wildlife, comprising leopards, jackals, hyenas, neelgais and reptiles. It is also an archaeological site with ancient remnants. Aren’t these priceless advantages that should encourage us to fortify our forests?

The Aravalli land is protected by 20-30-year-old notifications under the PLPA. The Aravalli area notified under the PLPA has been treated as forest by the Supreme Court, which has time and again, through various judgments, reiterated the need to protect this area. What needs to be done is to fortify this protection by re-notifying these areas. Instead, we are exposing this treasure trove to private profiteering.

The PLPA amendment is an out-and-out regressive move. All of us, including the forest animals, birds and plants, have a fundamental right to live in a clean and healthy environment. Politicians, beware! Citizens will not sit easy and will do all in their might to force the withdrawal of the amendment. These protests can soon take shape of ‘jan andolan’. It will be not long before right to clean air and water security will become key issues on which elections are fought and won. Are the politicians listening?

First Published: Mar 05, 2019 03:31 IST