GURUGRAM: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed Haryana govt, deputy commissioner, forest dept, divisional forest officer, HSPCB and MoEF & CC to take immediate remedial and punitive actions to tackle illegal mining and non-forest activities being carried out in the forest area of Faridabad‘s Anangpur.
The directive follows a report from the joint committee set up by the tribunal, highlighting unauthorised activities on land classified as forest under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.
NGT also expressed concerns over the report, which merely referred to the patwari’s report identifying the land as ‘pahar’ under the ownership of ‘shamlat deh’.
Observing that the committee failed to provide complete details of people or entities involved in illegal activities, the tribunal said, “Despite the directions and presence of vehicles, workers and electricity connections on the site, the committee could not identify those responsible. Furthermore, no immediate action was taken by Haryana and its instrumentalities despite clear environmental violations.”
During a hearing on Aug 22, NGT had set up a joint committee to investigate if illegal mining activities are causing severe air and noise pollution in Faridabad’s Anangpur. The move comes after residents of Lakewood City — a housing colony in Lakkarpur near Anangpur — submitted a petition to NGT, alleging that unauthorised activities going on the forest land pose serious health hazards.
During the hearing, petitioners said the forest department notified khasra number 1,387 as forest land under Section 4 of Punjab Land Preservation Act, 1990, on Aug 18, 1992. The plea emphasised that this is the same land where illegal activities are rampant.
“It is evident from the report of the joint committee that non-forest activities are being illegally carried out on land which falls in the category of forest land without permission of central govt under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, and the joint committee has made recommendations for closure of activities in question and restoration of the land for active plantation or draining activities,” stated the order by judicial member Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member Dr A Senthil Vel. The tribunal was hearing the matter on Dec 3.
It also stated, “… despite environmental violations, no action was immediately taken by the state of Haryana and its instrumentalities. According to the office report, all respondents were duly served with notice of the present application.”
The committee is tasked with closing the site immediately and banning all illegal activities, including storage of construction materials at the site, restoration of the land by active plantation activities and submission an action-taken report in two weeks. The next hearing will be held on Jan 9, 2025.
