Against the backdrop of the Supreme Court’s order to remove encroachments from forest land in Haryana’s Khori in Faridabad, the State’s Archaeology Department has told the government to demolish 60 “illegal farmhouses” in the ecological sensitive Aravali belt.
The Department of Archaeology and Museum on Friday pointed out that that there are illegal farmhouses in the forest areas of the Aravalis located in Faridabad and Gurugram districts and keeping with the spirit of the apex court’s direction, all these illegal farmhouses may also be demolished.
50 in Faridabad
Forest Minister Kanwal Pal Gujjar’s reply in the State Assembly last year revealed that a total of 60 illegal farmhouses were constructed in the Aravalli area, including 50 in Faridabad and 10 in Gurugram between 2000 and 2020. The area is notified under Sections 4 and 5 of Punjab Land Preservation Act. The farmhouses have been given electricity connections by the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) and do not have permission under Forest Conservation (FC) Act or the Controlled Area Act.
“To comply with the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, all such illegal farmhouses may also be demolished,” read a communication from the department, sent by Ashok Khemka, Principal Secretary, (Archaeological Department) to the Chief Minister’s office through the Ministry.
Petition rejected
Mr. Khemka added that the Supreme Court has rejected the plea petition of rehabilitating illegal encroachments of public land at public expense. “Therefore, the rehabilitation of illegal encroachers of ASI protected sites at Ther Mound Sirsa, Rakhigarhi and Privthi Raj Fort Hansi needs a relook, and all such encroachers may be removed from public land without rewarding them for the encroachment,” he pointed out.
