While Aravallis forests in Delhi are under constant threat of encroachment, the mountainous range is on the verge of being cut off from ranges that fall in Faridabad and Gurgaon as the hills enjoy no legal protection in Haryana.
Discussions are on in Haryana to decide eco-sensitive zone around Aravallis and the Haryana Government has proposed only 1 km eco-sensitive area that leaves out Mangar forest, Badkhal lake and Gurgaon’s Damdama lake — important ecosystems in Aravallis landscape.
“Haryana should declare a sister Sanctuary in the Aravallis adjoining Asola and Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary to conserve them for ecosystem services of wildlife corridors and groundwater recharge. Till that happens, an eco-sensitive zone or a buffer zone must be declared of one 1 to 16 km in the adjacent Haryana Aravallis. Restriction of eco-sensitive zone only to 1 km will lead to massive fragmentation of Aravallis and protected part of the ridge in Delhi will also lose its relevance,” warned Chetan Agarwal, environmental analyst.
Besides, the entire Aravalli Range and its forest in Haryana are under constant threat of being wiped out due to increasing demand for land for commercial use.
“Aravallis in Haryana need long-term protection and face a number of threats like privatisation of forest land. A lot of common land in Haryana has been privatised and is owned by real estate interests, this is the biggest threat to the long term conservation of the Aravallis,” said Chetan.
He also added, “And it is all happening because identification of parts of the Aravallis as forests as per dictionary meaning under Forest Conservation Act is still pending. The part of Aravalli which is protected under Punjab land Preservation Act is also under threat as last Haryana Govt challenged that in the Supreme Court and present state Government hasn’t withdrawn that case yet.”