Gurgaon: Tree felling and land disturbance continue in the Raisina hills of Sohna despite court monitoring and National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders to clear encroachments from protected Aravali land.The forest department has registered a forest offence case in the Raisina hills of Sohna — the report has been accessed by TOI — under provisions of the Indian Forest Act, 1927, after seizing 37 sections of cut wood from “gair mumkin pahad” (uncultivable hill). The case, dated May 8, assumes significance because gair mumkin pahad land forms part of the natural Aravali system and is considered ecologically sensitive due to its role in preserving hill slopes, native vegetation and groundwater recharge zones.Freshly chopped trunks, severed branches and cleared vegetation were found scattered across rocky slopes dotted with native shrubs and scrub forest. Cut wood lay dumped along uneven hill terrain, while freshly exposed patches of earth suggested recent clearing activity inside the Aravali tract.Environmentalist SS Oberoi said, “The latest tree cutting showed continuing degradation of the fragile Aravali ecosystem despite repeated interventions by courts and authorities.” The affected stretch lies amid a landscape that has, over the years, seen farmhouses, private roads, boundary walls and gated enclosures emerge across the hills despite repeated enforcement action.In parts of Raisina and adjoining areas, concretised access paths cut through natural slopes while private structures overlook scrub-covered valleys of the Aravalis. At the latest site, chopped branches and cut trunks were seen lying beside naturally growing vegetation, with portions of the hillside appearing recently cleared to open access through the rocky terrain.In July 2024, TOI reported in “Gurgaon farmhouses back: Raze & rebuild cycle ensures Raisina never heals” that structures demolished during drives began reappearing within days in the Raisina hills. The report documented fresh road construction and installation of electricity poles shortly after demolition action.In its latest directions linked to the Raisina matter, NGT noted that two regulations — the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA) and the Aravali Notification — prohibit construction and tree felling without prior permission from authorities. The tribunal also said reconstruction activity in the hills amounted to a “flagrant violation” of its 2022 ruling in the Sonya Ghosh versus State of Haryana and others case. In that order, NGT directed Haryana and Rajasthan govts to remove encroachments from protected Aravali land, create a monitoring committee and revive degraded forest areas.The issue comes despite years of enforcement claims by authorities. In an affidavit before NGT earlier, Haryana State Pollution Control Board said Sohna municipal council demolished 101 illegal farmhouses since 2020, removed boundary walls spread over more than 120 acres and razed a 1.5-km illegal road in the area. Notices were also issued to hundreds of farmhouse owners in Raisina and Golden Heights.
