Environmentalists move SC against jungle safari

Gurugram, July 14

Even though CM Manohar Lal Khattar has invited PM Modi to inaugurate the 10,000-acre Aravalli zoo-safari in Gurugram and Nuh, environmentalists have moved the Supreme Court against the same, claiming the project will disturb the ecology of the protected forest area and will be “devastating to the environment”.

To be largest such project in world: govt

According to plans of the Haryana Government, the zoo-safari, if it comes into being, will be the largest such project in the world. According to the proposal, it will have fenced-off zones, including large enclosures for big cats, and other zones for amphibians, herbivores, besides a bird park and nature trails for trekkers.

According to a petition by Vaishali Rana, Vivek Kamboj and Roma Jaswal, any obstruction by the zoo-safari in the contiguous patch of the Aravalli forests will lead to large-scale changes in the areas adjoining the north Indian plains and will be devastating to the environment. They insist that it will affect eastern Rajasthan, Haryana, Malwa region, western UP and Delhi and lead to desertification. “The State of Haryana has failed to realise the ecological importance of the oldest fold mountain range in the world. It is also pertinent to mention here that vide its notification dated 07.05.1992 issued under Section 3 (1) and Section 3 (2) (v) of the Environment Protection Act, 1986 and Rule 5 (3) of the Environment (Protection) Rules -1986, Respondent No. 01 has restrained certain activities in Aravalli range, which will have the impact of causing environmental degradation in the region,” the plea said.

The petitioners argue that the Aravallis are home to dozens of species such as leopards, blackbucks, deer, desert fox and birds. In these forests, setting up a zoo with larger enclosures will take away space from the natural flora and fauna of the area. It will also increase the risk of zoonosis as viruses and pathogens are commonly transmitted among the animals at zoos.

The movement of vehicles for visitors is likely to pose another threat.

According to plans of the Haryana Government, the zoo-safari, if it comes into being, will be the largest such project in the world. According to the proposal, it will have fenced-off zones, including large enclosures for big cats, and other zones for amphibians, herbivores besides a bird park and nature trails for trekkers. The environmentalists claim that the area earmarked for the safari is protected under Sections 4 and 5 of the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA). In Gurgaon, the park will include the PLPA area in Sakatpur, Gairatpur Bas and Shikohpur and forest patches in Bhondsi, Ghamroj, Alipur, Tikli, Aklimpur, Naurangpur and Bar Gujar. In adjoining Nuh, the safari will run into Kota Khandewla, Gangani, Mohamadpur Ahir, Kharak, Jalalpur, Bhango and Chalka.

The project was announced in September 2022, as part of a plan to facilitate compensatory afforestation for 26,000 acres of tropical forests that will be lost in Great Nicobar, some 2,000 km away, due to a mega infrastructure project by the Central government.