DTCP razes four illegal farmhouses near Damdama lake

The department of town and country planning (DTCP) on Saturday demolished four farmhouses and sealed one in the vicinity of Damdama lake for being constructed in violation of rules. The department said it has taken against a total of eight farmhouses constructed in violation of the controlled area act so far.

“Our team demolished 17 structures and a 4km-long outer boundary wall. A 1.7km-long internal boundary wall and 60 internal electric poles were demolished in the four farmhouses. One of the farmhouses on the other side of the lake was not accessible and the team reached it through boat and this farmhouse was sealed,” said Amit Madholia, district town planner (enforcement).

“The constructions in these farmhouses were raised in an unauthorised manner without the permission of the competent authority,” he added.

On Tuesday, the department had sealed three farmhouses on the shore of Damdama lake, including one that belonged to popular Punjabi singer Amrik Singh, also known as Mika.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had issued an order in 2020 against illegal felling of trees and construction activities that were destroying forests. In September 2021, NGT, while hearing the case, had asked the governments of Haryana and Rajasthan to submit a report regarding action taken against illegal constructions. The next hearing in the case is scheduled on December 9.

There are an estimated 500 illegal farmhouses in villages such as Damdama, Gwalpahari, Sohna, Raisina, Andanesar, said officials.

The drive against illegal farmhouses by the DTPC, the forest department and the district administration, had temporarily slowed down due to the implementation of stage three of Grap (Graded Response Action Plan), which had put a ban on construction and demolition activities.

NGT had directed Haryana and Rajasthan in September 2021 to remove illegal construction in Aravallis. The directions were issued when the court was hearing a petition by Sonya Ghosh regarding illegal constructions in ‘gair mumkin pahar area’ of the Aravallis in Gururgam, Nuh, Faridabad and Alawar districts. The court had also asked both the state governments to submit a report on this matter in three months.