20 structures razed in Faridabad this month, 90 more on target

Bijendra Ahlawat

Faridabad, January 30

The drive launched by the Forest Department against encroachment on its land has resulted in demolition of 20 constructions in January. Another 90 constructions existing on the forest land will be brought down in the ongoing drive. The Forest Department has issued an advisory against booking of marriage gardens in the Surajkund area, in view of the ongoing drive.

The constructions that have come up illegally on the land falling under the PLPA Act-1900, include a large number of farmhouses, marriage gardens, banquet halls, residential units, commercial and institutional buildings, say sources. The drive resumed by the Forest Department this year has led to the demolition of 20 constructions in the past two weeks. The number of such constructions identified in the survey had been found to be nearly 700 clusters or localities having 7,000 constructions occupying an area of 500 hectares, it is claimed. These include around 130 farmhouses and marriage gardens detected in a survey in 2018-19. The demolition drive is yet to impact a majority of the constructions, claim the sources in the district administration, who add that a large number of the unauthorised constructions still exists on the preserved land as many of these had acquired a legal stay. Anangpur, Ankhir, Mewla Maharajpur and Lakadpur villages have around 6,793 constructions, it is reported.

“Though some of the constructions may have acquired a stay from the High Court, it is not maintainable if the government is serious about the removal of encroachments,” says Chetan Aggarwal an activist. Removal of constructions from forest land was ordered by the Supreme Court in July 2021 in response to a CWP filed in 2013. “Though the Khori village colony, spread over 120 acres, was razed in June 2021, the failure to take action against those constructions owned by influential persons, speaks volume of the double standards and gross discrimination,” says Sunil Harsana, an ecological activist, based here.

DFO Raj Kumar said while 20 constructions such as farmhouses or marriage gardens have been removed, action against another 90 is scheduled to be taken soon. There was no laxity on part of the department and action was being taken after taking all technicalities and legal hurdles into consideration. The residents had been asked to desist from booking the marriage gardens and farmhouses in Surajkund for functions as many of these were illegal and could be demolished any time, he said. The overall forest land area under illegal constructions is less than 500 hectares, he said.