NGT Notice to Haryana Government

• 21 Mar 2025

Why in News? 

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notice to the Rajasthan and Haryana governments to comply with its 9th December 2022, judgment. 

• The tribunal instructed both states to establish a monitoring committee and conduct periodic reviews to remove illegal constructions from protected Aravali land in Gurgaon, Faridabad, Nuh (Haryana), and Alwar (Rajasthan). 

 Key Points 

• Compliance with 2022 Judgment: 
  • These lands are classified as ‘gair mumkin pahar’ (uncultivable hill), where construction is prohibited. 
  • Despite clear instructions, the states had not submitted any compliance report or taken necessary action. 
• Background of the Case: 
  • Activists had originally filed a plea highlighting encroachments on Aravali land. 
  • The case has been under NGT’s scrutiny for over a decade, focusing on violations of the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) notification dated 7th May 1992, which prohibits construction in designated areas. 
  • The tribunal had monitored the matter for over 10 years before issuing the December 2022, judgment. 
• NGT’s 2022 Judgment and Directions: 
  • NGT had noted that encroachers were identified, and both states had formed a monitoring mechanism. 
  • Chief secretaries of both states were instructed to oversee compliance through quarterly reviews. 
  • Aggrieved parties were allowed to seek legal remedies for any violations. 
• Extent of Illegal Constructions: 
  • A forest department survey revealed that at least 500 illegal farmhouses were built on Aravali land in Gurgaon. 
    • These were concentrated in areas like Gwalpahari, Abheypur, Gairatpur Bas, Sohna, Raisina, and Manesar. 

 Aravali Mountain Range 

 

• The Aravallis, is the oldest fold mountains on Earth. Geological studies indicate that it is three billion years old. 
• It spans over 800 km from Gujarat to Delhi (through Rajasthan and Haryana). 
• The highest peak in the Aravalli Range is Guru Peak on Mount Abu. 
• Influences Climate: 
  • The Aravallis have an impact upon the climate of northwest India and beyond. 
  • During monsoons, the mountain range gently guides the monsoon clouds eastwards towards Shimla and Nainital, thus helping nurture the sub-Himalayan rivers and feeding the north Indian plains. 
  • During the winter months, it shields the fertile alluvial river valleys of the Indus and Ganga from the harsh cold westerly winds blowing in from Central Asia.