MCG mulls moving Gurgaon Utsav out of Aravalli Biodiversity Park after protests by green activists

For about a decade, Gurgaon Utsav has been one of the biggest annual cultural events in the Millennium City. Over the last eight years, the three-day cultural fiesta has been organised at the amphitheatre in the Aravalli Biodiversity Park. This year, however, the festival may see a change in venue. Last week, a group of environmentalists met officials from the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) to express their objection to the park hosting Gurgaon Utsav. Their argument was that since the Aravalli Biodiversity Park is a deemed forest, there should be no concretisation and no musical nights there. Officials of MCG – which supports the festival – say they are now looking at alternative venues for the festival. This also means that the festival might be postponed from its currently scheduled dates of March 15-17. Gurgaon Utsav is organised by a not-for-profit organisation called the Art and Literature Society, with the MCG providing administrative support. This year’s edition is slated to bring to the Millennium City artists like Hans Raj Hans, Hari and Sukhmani, Parvathy Baul, and Mita Vashisht. Last week, environmentalists from Gurgaon-based NGO Haryali Welfare Society met MCG Commissioner Yashpal Yadav, requesting him to intervene and shift the utsav out of the Aravalli Biodiversity Park.

Gurgaon Utsav has been held annually at the amphitheatre in the Biodiversity Park

Vivek Kamboj, founder and director of the NGO, tells us, “We are not against music and cultural celebrations but there are other places in Gurgaon where this festival can be held. If the construction of a highway causes disturbance to the flora and fauna in the Biodiversity Park, a music event with speakers and amplifiers does so too. The strong floodlights, loud noises, and so much of human activity jeopardises the sensitive ecosystem of the Biodiversity Park and its wildlife. Also, the court has called the biodiversity park a deemed forest, which means any concretisation and such musical activity here is ethically wrong.”


MCG Commissioner Yashpal Yadav referred the matter to relevant officials in the civic body. It was this second meeting that bore fruit for the environmentalists. MCG Joint Commissioner Hari Om Attri, who met the environmentalists, says, “We have taken note of the objections raised by some citizens and activists about Gurgaon Utsav, and on the face of it, the objections seem genuine and legitimate. We are discussing and also speaking to the forest and wildlife departments, who are trying to ascertain the facts. If found true, we will shift the event out of the Biodiversity Park and look for an alternative venue.”
Organisers of the Gurgaon Utsav remain tight-lipped about the development, saying that the MCG will decide the fest’s future and venue and they shall abide by the decision.

Activists have said that the amphitheatre in the Biodiversity Park is a violation of the Forest Conservation Act 1972 and Wildlife Protection Act 1980 that prohibit any non-forest activities there


In any case, even if the fest takes place at the Biodiversity Park this year, it might be the last time it is staged there. The activists have said that the amphitheatre in the Biodiversity Park itself is a violation of the Forest Conservation Act, 1972 and Wildlife Protection Act, 1980 that prohibit any non-forest activities there. Sources from the MCG say senior officials are contemplating stopping all musical activities there. “Both the forest department and wildlife department are preparing reports based on the allegations and we feel it might be best that in the future, the amphitheatre isn’t used for events like musical nights that can disturb the animal population there,” says an MCG official who did not wish to be named.


Interestingly, the amphitheatre was built in the Biodiversity Park after consultation with environmentalists and local residents. The Biodiversity Park used to be a stone quarry and was restored to its current status as the ‘green lung of Gurgaon’ by IAmGurgaon, a citizen’s collective, almost a decade ago. It was during this restoration in 2010 that the MCG built the amphitheatre in after consulting with IAmGurgaon. Latika Thukral, founder, IAmGurgaon, tells us, “When the amphitheatre was conceived, it was done close to the edge of the park, as close to the habitation as possible, so that it didn’t disturb the ecosystem. The aim was never to be disruptive or harm the wildlife or ecosystem of the park in any way. We have and will always have the best interests of Gurgaon and the Biodiversity Park in our minds.”