+
Haryana admits Aravalis & Shivaliks losing green cover
Real Estate

Haryana admits Aravalis & Shivaliks losing green cover

Haryana's rapid urbanization has come at the cost of significant forest land depletion and diversion, particularly in the Aravali and Shivalik hill reserves. This revelation was made by Environment Minister Kanwar Pal Gujjar during the monsoon session of the assembly, in response to inquiries from Congress legislators Neeraj Sharma (NIT Faridabad) and Jagbir Singh Malik (Gohana).

Among the affected areas, Gurugram stands out as the most denuded district within the Aravalis, while Panchkula has witnessed the most significant forest depletion within the Shivalik region. These two districts also account for the highest levels of forest diversion in their respective zones. Over the span of four decades since 1980, urbanization has encroached upon a staggering 4,239 hectares of forest cover across ten Shivalik and Aravali districts. The fragile ecology of the Aravalis has drawn attention from regulatory bodies such as the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Central Pollution Control Board due to these concerning developments. Furthermore, substantial forestland in the Aravalis has been diverted in districts including Faridabad, Bhiwani, Nuh, and Mahendergarh.

In the context of Shivalik districts altering their forest land use, Ambala and Yamunanagar emerge as particularly affected areas. These revelations surfaced when Neeraj Sharma sought details regarding compensatory afforestation in exchange for the diversion of forest land. The Congress legislator, while expressing doubts about the accuracy of the data, pointed out that "a major part of the questions was left unanswered, but it's clear that rapid urbanization has had a detrimental impact on the environment."

This disclosure underscores the pressing issue of environmental conservation in the face of rapid urban development, and it highlights the need for robust measures to mitigate the ecological impact of such expansion.

Haryana's rapid urbanization has come at the cost of significant forest land depletion and diversion, particularly in the Aravali and Shivalik hill reserves. This revelation was made by Environment Minister Kanwar Pal Gujjar during the monsoon session of the assembly, in response to inquiries from Congress legislators Neeraj Sharma (NIT Faridabad) and Jagbir Singh Malik (Gohana).Among the affected areas, Gurugram stands out as the most denuded district within the Aravalis, while Panchkula has witnessed the most significant forest depletion within the Shivalik region. These two districts also account for the highest levels of forest diversion in their respective zones. Over the span of four decades since 1980, urbanization has encroached upon a staggering 4,239 hectares of forest cover across ten Shivalik and Aravali districts. The fragile ecology of the Aravalis has drawn attention from regulatory bodies such as the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Central Pollution Control Board due to these concerning developments. Furthermore, substantial forestland in the Aravalis has been diverted in districts including Faridabad, Bhiwani, Nuh, and Mahendergarh.In the context of Shivalik districts altering their forest land use, Ambala and Yamunanagar emerge as particularly affected areas. These revelations surfaced when Neeraj Sharma sought details regarding compensatory afforestation in exchange for the diversion of forest land. The Congress legislator, while expressing doubts about the accuracy of the data, pointed out that a major part of the questions was left unanswered, but it's clear that rapid urbanization has had a detrimental impact on the environment.This disclosure underscores the pressing issue of environmental conservation in the face of rapid urban development, and it highlights the need for robust measures to mitigate the ecological impact of such expansion.

Related Stories

Gold Stories

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train’s Surat-Vapi Section Set for 2027

The first section of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train corridor, linking Surat and Vapi, is targeted to begin services in 2027. Construction is expected to be completed by December 2026, while Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has indicated that an inauguration could take place around the middle of 2027. The National High Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRCL) said the train being manufactured in India is expected to reach the tracks around April or May 2027. The train will undergo extensive testing before the section is opened for passenger services. The project began construction in 2021 and includ..

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

Indian Railways Approves Four Projects Worth Rs. 7.36 bn Across Four States

Indian Railways has approved four projects with a combined value of Rs. 7.36 bn across Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. The programme covers train protection, signalling, electric traction supply and a road overbridge, with each project assigned to a different railway zone. In Uttar Pradesh, Rs. 2.52 bn has been approved to extend the Kavach 4.0 automatic train protection system across 607.7 km in the Lucknow Division of North Eastern Railway. The system monitors train movements and can apply the brakes if a driver fails to observe a signal or exceeds a safe speed. The w..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

Chandru Raheja Sells 1.49% Stake in Mindspace REIT for Rs. 5 bn

Billionaire Chandru Lachmandas Raheja has sold a 1.49 per cent holding in Mindspace Business Parks REIT for Rs. 5 bn through a bulk deal on the BSE. The transaction involved 9.9 mn units and was executed at an average price of Rs. 505 per unit, according to exchange data. Following the sale, units of Mindspace Business Parks REIT were trading 0.18 per cent lower at Rs. 504.05 on Tuesday. Exchange data did not identify the buyers involved in the transaction. Raheja is the chairman of real estate company K Raheja Corp. The sale involved 99,00,990 units, representing 1.49 per cent of the Mumbai-b..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

SPECIAL OFFER
QR Code