Gurugram: Demolition notices to owners who flattened Aravali hill

GURUGRAM: Authorities on Tuesday swung into action and slapped notices on the developers of 50 illegal farmhouses in Gurugram’s Bandhwari area, the prompt response coming after the Supreme Court took cognizance of a TOI report about a hillock being flattened to build an access road to the unauthorised colony.

At least four government agencies — MCG, the town and country planning department, the district pollution control board and the Gurugram forest department — carried out separate inspections of the site, off the Gurugram-Faridabad road, and termed the constructions a clear violation of the “controlled area” notification. Later in the day, MCG issued the notices, a formality before razing any unauthorised structure.

The swift action came within hours of Haryana’s additional advocate general Anil Grover alerting the state chief secretary, the additional chief secretaries of the environment and forest departments, and the Gurugram deputy commissioner about the Supreme Court proceedings. TOI has learnt that Grover had called up the DC and asked him to take action on Tuesday itself.

MCG commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh said, “Process has been initiated to take action against the illegal constructions in Bandhwari, following an inspection by joint commissioner Hariom Atri. Since the area comes under MCG’s jurisdiction, prior permission is required from us. In this case, no change of land use or building plan was approved, these are the violations as per Municipal Corporation Act. So, notices have been issued.”

MCG has also urged the district pollution board, the forest department, the DTCP and the mining department to take appropriate action against the farmhouse developers as per their mandate.

“A combined report of action taken by all the departments will be submitted by the Gurugram’s deputy commissioner to the Supreme Court,” the commissioner said.

District town planner RS Batth, who was the first official to visit the Bandhwari farmhouse site in the morning, said he was preparing a “ground report” before issuing demolition notices.

“The farmhouses were constructed in clear violation of the ‘controlled area’ notification and the urban area act. No permission was taken for carrying out construction activities,” he said.

During the inspection, Batth said he found out that some of the farmhouses are ready-to-move-in, while others are at different stages of construction.

“We are trying to find out the people behind the development of these farmhouses and notices will soon be issued, following which demolition drives will be carried out in the area,” he said.

A senior forest official, who also carried out a separate inspection, however, said the area is not covered under sections 4 & 5 of Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA) but comes under other sections of the act.

“The forest department can take action against the farmhouse developers for felling of trees. It seems that a large number of trees were cut for carrying out construction. A report has been filed by the department,” he said.