Centre blocks construction plan in Sultanpur National Park, seeks action on 78 violations

The Union Environment Ministry has rejected a proposal to construct a housing project within the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of Sultanpur National Park, a protected Ramsar wetland site in Gurugram, Haryana. The ministry took a stern view of the proposal and also reprimanded the Haryana Government for failing to act on numerous violations within the park’s boundaries.

In a recent meeting of the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL), the ministry revealed that 78 cases of violations inside the national park had been identified, but the state government had yet not submitted the required action taken report (ATR).

The housing project, originally proposed by a private firm in 2020, had received approval from the Haryana Government. However, given its sensitive location within the national park, it required mandatory clearance from the Centre. A committee formed last year under the chairmanship of the Inspector General of Forests was tasked with assessing the impact of infrastructure development in the area.

The committee found that widespread construction near the park had severely disrupted natural water drainage channels. Moreover, the private company behind the housing project had already begun construction without obtaining the necessary environmental clearances from the Centre.

“The Committee has submitted its report and pointed out 78 cases of violations in the ESZ of the Sultanpur National Park. After discussions, the Standing Committee decided to seek an action taken report against the violations noted in the committee report. Despite several letters, action taken report on violations in the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of Sultanpur National Park from the State Government is awaited,” the ministry noted.

Highlighting the ecological importance of wetlands, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav emphasised the need for their protection: “Though forest and tree cover in the country is 25.17% of the geographical area, wetlands constitute about 5.12% of the geographical area of the country. Wetlands act as carbon sinks as well. There is a need to protect wetlands.”

The Sultanpur National Park is home to hundreds of resident and migratory bird species and plays a vital role in maintaining ecological balance in the region.