At Rs 100 cr, revival of green belts in Faridabad to be a costly affair

Bijendra Ahlawat

Advertisement

Faridabad, July 18

With the state government releasing Rs 2,600 crore funds for the Faridabad Metropolitan Development Authority (FMDA), it is likely to spend about Rs 100 crore on the development of green belts in the city.

A drive to remove encroachments and prevent the dumping of garbage on green belts is expected to begin soon, according to sources in the FMDA.

A survey of areas and plantation work for the revival of green belts under the jurisdiction of the Faridabad Metropolitan Development Authority (FMDA) are already underway. The FMDA had taken over the work of upkeep and maintenance of all main roads with a width of 30 metres or more last year.

However, the work to develop green belts is likely to be challenging due to large scale encroachments and illegal dumping of garbage, claim sources in the district administration.

Social activist Paras Bhardwaj said, “Scores of unauthorised structures, including showrooms, shops and vendor markets have come up on the green belts in the city and spaces along master roads.”

It is claimed that the authorities were directed to remove encroachments in a district-level monitoring committee meeting held earlier this year, yet the problem continues to persist in the city.

“The alleged inaction can be attributed to political patronage and the lack of a clear-cut strategy and follow up by the department concerned,” said an official on condition of anonymity.

The poor upkeep and lack of supervision has made the green belts a victim of illegal occupation and spots for waste dumping,” says Varun Sheokand, a city resident, who had lodged a PIL in the National Green Tribunal against the location of liquor vends, authorised liquor drinking spots (Ahatas) and parking lots in spaces designated for green belts a few years ago.

It is claimed that the market cost of land in the area is between Rs 15 crore to Rs 25 crore per acre. This is attributed as another reason for the prevalence of commercial encroachments on roadside greens belts.

“The department is taking up initiatives to conserve greenery and soil along main roads at a cost of about Rs 100 crore. The issues of encroachments and cleaning of green belts would also be dealt with as per the rules,” said FMDA Executive Engineer Devinder Bhadana.