Gurgaon: Centre has deferred a proposal to use forest land for an access road to a private warehouse on Sohna-Palwal Road after finding that the land was being used without forest clearance. The environment ministry’s advisory committee has also sought action against officials responsible for allowing the use to continue.The committee examined the proposal on Aug 10. It found that 0.181 hectares of forest land was being used without approval under Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980.The user agency had submitted its forest clearance proposal on Aug 25, 2023. The proposal sought the forest land for construction of an approach road and involved felling six trees. However, a violation was reported by the ministry’s regional office in Chandigarh on Sept 10, 2023, while the proposal was still under consideration. A subsequent site inspection found that the use of the forest land had not stopped.The committee said the activity amounted to a violation of the forest conservation law and directed that the matter be dealt with under the relevant provisions for violations under the Act.It has now asked Haryana to report whether the forest land is still being used and what action has been taken to remove the encroachment. The state has been asked to provide documentary evidence. The committee has also directed Haryana to fix responsibility on officials for the violation and take action against those found responsible. It has sought an action taken report from the state.The case also raises questions about enforcement by the forest department. The inspection report had specifically noted that the state forest department had not stopped the use of the forest land despite the reported violation.Haryana has maintained that the proposed access road is the only technically feasible route to the warehouse and that the diversion has been restricted to the minimum area required. It has said no alternative route would avoid or reduce the use of forest land.The proposal also includes compensatory afforestation at Rs 5.59 lakh for planting 362 trees. The committee, however, has deferred the proposal until Haryana provides the information and action taken report sought.
