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Faridabad authorities have intensified efforts to clear illegal constructions from forest land in the Aravalli region, following a Supreme Court directive. In a recent operation, 10 farmhouses and five structures were demolished in the Anand Van-Aravalli belt. Of 730 PLPA-notified forest patches, 85 have been cleared so far. The crackdown includes areas like Anangpur and Mewla Maharajpur, where over 6,800 illegal buildings were identified via drone surveys. Violations range from homes to banquet halls, many harming water recharge zones and biodiversity. Backed by satellite monitoring, the state now aims for systematic enforcement after years of delay, under pressure from the court-appointed Central Empowered Committee.
Faridabad authorities have taken a more determined approach to reclaiming forest land in the Aravalli region, targeting long-standing encroachments that have mushroomed across PLPA-notified areas. Acting on a Supreme Court directive, a joint team from the forest department and the municipal corporation demolished 10 farmhouses and five other structures in the Anand Van-Aravalli belt last week. Advertisement
The recent operation forms part of a broader and more coordinated effort, with approximately 85 of the 730 forest patches already cleared of illegal construction. These areas fall under the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA), which, as per the apex court's 2022 ruling, must be treated as forest land under the Forest Conservation Act. The court had clarified that any construction activity on this land would be considered illegal and subject to demolition.
In response, the administration has intensified demolition drives in key hotspots like Anangpur, Mewla Maharajpur, Lakkarpur and Ankhir. Heavy machinery including six bulldozers and excavators, along with nearly 200 police and forest officials, have been deployed for the operations. More than 5,000 notices have already been served to violators across these forest belts, and additional action is being lined up as authorities prepare to target more clusters over the coming weeks.
The demolition isn't limited to residential structures alone. Officials confirmed that farmhouses, banquet halls, boundary walls, guard rooms, and even roads built into the hills are being razed. In several areas, illegal constructions had blocked natural water recharge points and cleared large chunks of forest cover, raising environmental concerns around biodiversity loss and declining groundwater levels.
A survey conducted by the administration last year using drones and satellite imagery revealed over 6,800 illegal buildings scattered across Anangpur, Mewla Maharajpur, Lakarpur and Pali. The scale of violation had prompted the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to pull up the Haryana government for sluggish progress and demand that a dedicated officer be appointed to fast-track action on illegal encroachments.
The renewed enforcement has come after years of inaction, when only about 30 demolitions were carried out post the court order. The slow pace was flagged by the Supreme Court-appointed CEC, which pushed the state to move swiftly and submit timelines. Officials now say the approach has shifted towards systematic, satellite-monitored clearances to ensure sustainable protection of forested areas.
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