NGTslaps ` 30,000 cost on Haryana for not filing reply

New Delhi, April 18: The National Green Tribunal ( NGT) has slapped a cost of 30,000 on Haryana for not filing its reply on a plea opposing diversion of a 12- km stretch of the G ur ga on-Man es ar expressway.

A bench, headed by Acting Chairperson Justice Jawad Rahim, noted that the state government and its forest department haven’t filed their replies despite the NGT’s specific direction on January 30.

The bench directed that the cost be deposited with the Legal Aid Committee, the tribunal.

The order came after advocate Ayush Arora, appearing for the petitioner, said the Haryana government had failed to file their response despite the NGT’s directions.

The tribunal had earlier issued notices to the Haryana government, National Highways Authority of India, forest department and the State Pollution Control Board on the plea.

The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by Haryana resident, Harinder Dhingra, opposing the construction of the proposed new route for GurgaonManesar expressway in the forest area of the Aravalli Range as it was in violation to the provisions of the Forest ( Conservation) Act 1980.

As per the petitioner, a nearly 12- km stretch of the highway was diverted by the authorities from Sohna Road via Tikli, Shaktpur and Shikohpur to Aravalli forests.

In the Aravallis, apart from deemed forests, the land is recorded as gair mumkin pahar ( non- cultivable hill), gair mumkin rada ( foothills, pastures), gair mumkin be hed’ ( ravine foothills), banjar beed ( grassy foothills) and rundh ( rocky areas between two hills), the plea said.

All these lands are protected either under Aravalli notification dated May 7, 1992 or the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, or by orders of Supreme Court and the NGT, it added.

The plea said the area in question forms part of the Aravalli Range, which is a vital area for biodiversity as it supports a large number of wildlife animals. It said the shifting of the expressway to the present route from its earlier proposed route would lead to environmental degradation in the region and enhance the level of pollution in the environment.

“The destruction of Aravalli Range will lead to straying of leopards outside their habitat and into the open space, which will result into a clash between human and animals as men will be encroaching the home of these animals,” the plea said.