Latest news with #PLPA
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Villagers urge CM to halt Aravalli demolitions
Residents of Anangpur village in Faridabad have urged Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini to stop the planned demolition of thousands of structures flagged as illegal under the ongoing Aravalli forest land reclamation drive. The appeal comes weeks after a demolition campaign began in the village, following a 2023 state survey that identified over 5,900 unauthorised constructions in the region. Residents of Anangpur village in Faridabad have urged Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini to stop the planned demolition. (Archives) On Wednesday, a delegation of Anangpur villagers met the chief minister at the PWD Rest House in Gurugram. The group was accompanied by Union Minister of State Krishan Pal Gurjar, Ballabhgarh MLA Mool Chand Sharma, NIT Faridabad MLA Satish Fagna, and Badkhal MLA Dhanesh Adlakha. The leaders said the demolition poses a threat to the homes, livelihoods, and cultural legacy of one of Faridabad's oldest settlements. The drive stems from a 2022 Supreme Court directive ordering the removal of illegal structures from land protected under Section 4 of the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA), including areas in the ecologically sensitive Aravalli region. The state's 2023 survey flagged over 5,900 unauthorised constructions—mostly farmhouses, banquet halls, gates, and boundary walls—across multiple villages. More than 5,000 of these fall under forest department jurisdiction. To be sure, the residents do not hold any documents since it is a forest land. Anangpur was among the first to face action under the expanded Aravalli reclamation campaign, which began last month and is expected to extend to other Faridabad villages, including Lakkarpur, Mewla Maharajpur, and Ankhir. Similar notices have also been served in Gurugram's Gairatpur Bas, Sakatpur, and Manesar. After the meeting, chief minister Saini reiterated the government's commitment to the court's orders but expressed sympathy for the villagers. 'The state government fully respects the directions of the Supreme Court. However, we are equally sensitive to the sentiments of the people. Many of these families have lived in Anangpur for generations. We are committed to finding a balanced path that safeguards both our environment and our citizens,' he said. CM Saini added that the matter would be placed before the state Coordination Committee, which will prepare a formal petition to the Supreme Court seeking appropriate relief. 'Our aim is not to displace law-abiding citizens. We will represent their case through legal channels and request the court to consider the historical and humanitarian aspects of the issue,' the chief minister said. Ballabhgarh MLA Mool Chand Sharma underscored the emotional and historical significance of the village. 'Anangpur is centuries old. Residents here have lived through generations. We requested the Chief Minister to ensure their voices are heard in court. His assurance to present their case legally offers hope,' he said. 'Political parties, including the opposition, appear to be anti-environment in their stance on the Anangpur demolition issue,' said environmentalist S.S. Oberoi. 'Instead of supporting the implementation of the Supreme Court's orders for environmental protection, they have united in opposition as deadlines continue to be ignored.'
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Penalty burden eases on private university that built campus illegally in Aravalis
Gurgaon: The penalty on a private university for using over 13 hectares of protected forest land in Faridabad without full permission is likely to come down sharply after the Centre decided to apply its new, relaxed rules in the case. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Aravali land, located along the Badkhal-Surajkund Road, was protected under Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA), 1900. The university — Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies (MRIIRS) — used this land for construction before getting prior clearance, as mandated, under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980. But after the FCA was amended in 2023, the campus became among the first to get post facto approval. During a meeting on June 12, the Union environment ministry's advisory committee recommended applying the 2023 forest rules for calculating the fine, replacing the stricter 2019 guidelines. Under the 2019 guidelines, the penal Net Present Value (NPV) — a form of financial compensation — was calculated from the actual date the forest land was used, with an additional 12% simple interest for each year of violation until payment was made. This meant that if an agency began using the land without formal clearance in 2019, it would incur a penalty for each subsequent year, significantly increasing the financial burden. However, under the revised 2023 guidelines, the Union environment ministry introduced a key change — penal interest would now be applied only from the date the penalty demand was officially raised, not from the date of the original violation. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This adjustment substantially reduces the total payable amount in delayed cases. After this change was implemented, the Haryana govt sought clarification from the Centre on which set of rules should apply to the Manav Rachna forest diversion case, where the land was used before final approvals were granted. The state govt specifically enquired if the stricter 2019 rules or more lenient 2023 norms should govern the calculation of the penal NPV — a decision with financial implications. This query was a focal point in the June 2025 meeting of the forest advisory committee, where the ministry reaffirmed its Nov 2024 clarification in favour of applying the 2023 norms. Approval & penalty reduction: The Centre had granted in-principle approval for the land diversion on Dec 29, 2023, but also flagged that the university violated forest norms by starting work prematurely. The main query was how much the varsity should pay as a penalty (NPV) for using forest land without permission. This recommendation was made because construction of the university began in 1991, well before the 1996 cut-off date. Last year, Parliament revised the Forest Conservation Act (FCA), stating if construction occurred prior to Dec 12, 1996, the Act would not be applicable. Under the 2019 rules, the penalty would have been calculated from the year the land was first used — potentially as early as 2019 or 2020 — and would include 12% annual interest, resulting in a total fine of approximately ₹20 crore. However, under the new 2023 rules, interest is counted only from the date the fine was officially demanded, reducing the fine by 2.5 times — around 60% less than what the institute would have paid earlier. Activists flag green concerns: While the move provides relief to the university, it has raised concerns among environmental activists. They argued that it could encourage more illegal use of protected land, particularly in fragile zones like Aravalis. Former forest conservator (south Haryana) RP Balwan criticised the decision, stating it violates the Supreme Court orders from 2008 and 2019, which prohibit construction in the Aravalis. "The Centre, too, has acknowledged the protected status of Aravali land earlier. In 2008 and 2009, reports by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC), which guides the govt on key decisions, said the entire Aravali region of Gurgaon and Faridabad are prohibited zones under FCA and construction can only be allowed to install power lines and build village link roads. So, entertaining the FCA case is wrong, forget about reducing penalties," said Balwan. Activists also said reducing the penalty by 2.5 times sends a message that violations can be rectified with money, weakening forest land protection. Chetan Agarwal, a forest analyst, said, "The land in question is village Shamlat common land that appears to have been dubiously privatised. The govt should restore the land to the gram panchayat or Faridabad corporation in line with SC judgments in Jagpal Singh v. State of Punjab (2012) and Jai Singh v. State of Haryana (2022) and take possession of the buildings in public interest." He proposed that any forest clearance granted to Manav Rachna University should be provisional, subject to the outcome of ongoing or future ownership cases. What's next? Before receiving the final clearance, the university must fulfil several conditions. It should plant trees on an equivalent area of non-forest land (14ha), repair damage on 0.19 ha of encroached land, properly mark the diverted land with boundary pillars and comply with the Forest Rights Act and Environment Protection Act. Till these requirements aren't met, the land cannot be legally transferred to the varsity.
Time of India
12-07-2025
- Time of India
Haryana vigilance arrests top revenue officer in Aravali illegal mining scam
Chandigarh: In yet another major catch in the ongoing investigations into illegal mining scam in Aravalis, the Haryana State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (HVACB) unit of Gurgaon arrested district revenue officer (DRO) Bijender Rana, who held additional charge of the consolidation department. ACB officials said that Rana's arrest followed after sufficient evidence was found against him in the case. Notably, a case was registered under Sections 201, 318(2), 316(2), 61, 270, 329(3), 303 BNS, Section 21 of the Mines & Minerals (Development & Regulations) Act 1957, Section 15(1) of the Environment Protection Act 1986, and Section 19 of the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA) 1900, during the investigation by the Anti-Corruption Bureau, Gurgaon. The issue relates to carving out illegal and unauthorised paths in the eco-fragile Aravalis to facilitate the mining mafia, which has almost ground the hillock with blasts in Aravalis in the Mewat region. Bijendra Rana, the then district revenue officer of Nuh, is accused of approving the expansion of two roads from 4 karam to 6 karam in the village Basai Mew, Firozpur Jhirka, district Nuh, during his tenure as settlement officer in 2024. After the consolidation scheme, the villagers filed a written objection regarding the construction of two illegal roads to Bijendra Rana. The complaint alleged that these illegal roads were being constructed in collusion with legal/illegal mining owners, crusher owners, royalty contractors from Rajasthan, and some people from the village Basai Mew to gain undue advantage and profit. However, the accused dismissed objection No. 2 after a hearing and approved Objection No. 3 submitted by Hanif alias Hanna, the then sarpanch of village Basai Mew, and other villagers, approving the expansion of two roads from 4 karam to 6 karam from village Basai Mew to village Nangal and Chapra in Rajasthan. The State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau, Gurgaon, has already arrested Sher Mohammad and Mohammad Latif, along with three former officials of the consolidation department in this case. A cash reward of 50,000 each has been announced for the capture of three absconding accused: Shabir, Shaukat and Hanif. The investigation of the case is ongoing. MSID: 122404348 413 |
Time of India
03-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
85 of 730 protected forest areas cleared of illegal buildings in Faridabad Aravalis
Gurgaon: Of the 730 forest areas in Faridabad Aravalis, which are protected under Section 4 (special orders) of the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA), around 85 have been cleared of encroachments. "Demolition drives, which started on June 11, were carried out at 85 locations that were identified during the survey," said a senior forest official. PLPA bars activities such as construction, encroachment and tree felling in forest areas. "We are now focusing on bigger structures like farmhouses. We faced resistance at some locations, and two FIRs were lodged against people for damaging earthmovers and injuring people," he said. The SC, in July 2022, had ruled that all Aravali land protected under PLPA (special orders) should be treated as forest, with provisions of the Forest (Conservation) Act, and any illegal buildings or structures should be demolished. More than 5,000 notices warning of demolition have been served to property owners across Faridabad as part of the intensified crackdown on illegal structures in protected forest areas and Aravali land. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với sàn môi giới tin cậy IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo The action is being carried out jointly by the forest department and the district administration with six earthmovers and bulldozers currently in operation. You Can Also Check: Gurgaon AQI | Weather in Gurgaon | Bank Holidays in Gurgaon | Public Holidays in Gurgaon Despite clear directives, Haryana had not completed the task and razed some 30 structures in four villages of Faridabad since the 2022 ruling. A ground-truthing exercise conducted by Haryana govt in Dec 2023 found 6,793 unauthorised structures built on protected land in the four villages. The exercise found 5,948 unauthorised structures in Anangpur village alone, while 339 such structures were found in Ankhir, 313 in Lakkarpur, and 193 in Mewla Maharajpur. Most of these structures are farmhouses and banquet halls. The SC judgment — in the Narinder Singh vs Divesh Bhutani case — was based on appeals filed by property owners against a 2013 order of National Green Tribunal (NGT), which restrained any non-forest activities on PLPA-notified land in Anangpur village. Another appeal that was clubbed in the case was a petition against a notice to remove illegal farmhouses and banquet halls on forest lands in Anangpur, Ankhir, and Mewla Maharajpur. PLPA, enacted in 1990 to preserve forest land, is currently applicable in 10 districts of Haryana — Panchkula, Ambala, Yamunanagar, Nuh, Gurgaon, Palwal, Faridabad, Mahendergarh, Rewari and Bhiwani.
Time of India
29-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
50 farmhouses, walls built in protected Aravalis to face bulldozers this week
Gurgaon: Farmhouses and other illegal structures such as walls, banquet halls, shops and cafes built in the protected Aravalis of the city will bedemolished in a drive from the first week of July. Fifty illegally built farmhouses — identified in a survey earlier this year — will be demolished, forest department officials said on Thursday. Officials said show-cause notices have been issued for any new construction carried out on protected Aravali land in Behrampur, Ghata, Gwalpahari and Sakatpur areas. You Can Also Check: Gurgaon AQI | Weather in Gurgaon | Bank Holidays in Gurgaon | Public Holidays in Gurgaon These property owners have been given 15 days to raze the structures on their own, after which the department will demolish the construction too. A forest officer said, "We started giving out notices on June 3 and by June 26, around 50 notices have been sent." Once the illegal construction is brought down, the forest department will also conduct drone surveys every month to ensure that no further encroachment takes place on the protected land. The Aravalis in these areas are protected under sections 4 and 5 of the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA) and the Aravali Plantation project. Chief conservator of forest (south circle) Subhas Yadav told TOI, "Notices have been sent to the farmhouses. They were given 15 days to respond. We will clear areas under sections 4 and 5 of the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA) and the Aravali Plantation project in Gurgaon." "Currently, our team is removing encroachments in Faridabad Aravalis and within a week, demolitions in Gurgaon will start," he said. Forest officials said the owners of any new structures — which were built in the Aravalis after the survey earlier this year — will be issued show-cause notices too. Areas notified under these provisions are considered as 'forests', and thereby, they are covered under the Forest (Conservation) Act. The FCA prohibits the felling of trees, construction and any other 'non-forest' activities without explicit permission. On Sept 8, 2016, the forest department proposed to establish a total of 52 security outposts for the protection of nearly 1 lakh hectares of Aravalis hills of south Haryana. The department also recommended that an "Aravali protection force" be formed and recommended that a typical naka should have at least four persons assigned to it for round-the-clock vigilance. This has never happened to date. Despite several court orders, illegal construction is not uncommon in the hills. Activists criticised the govt's role in not being able to carry out timely demolitions and said not acting on the SC's order is allowing more encroachments. Experts said on Thursday authorities should ensure continuous monitoring of the Aravalis due to the unusual land ownership pattern, which divides it among panchayats and private owners despite the FCA being in place. "It is not clear why the govt has not been able to carry out any demolition even over a year after the SC order. It seems that more illegal structures are coming up in the protected Aravalis and no action has been taken," Vaishali Rana, a Gurgaon-based environmentalist, said. In 2023, TOI reported that around 35 acres of Aravali forest land was cleared for the construction of farmhouses in Behrampur village, which is located just a kilometre from the Golf Course Extension Road in Gurgaon. In another report in Dec 2018, TOI found that a hillock was flattened in Raisina village to make way for farmhouses.
