An Unstoppable Green Death
The Aravalis have been declared eco-fragile, but miscreants continue to
hack at the green cover indiscreiminately
Sanjeev K.Ahuja, Gurgaon, May 19
141 CORPSES
The dead trees were found just off National Highway 8 near Manesar in the eco-fragile Aravali Hills. A kilometer of land with green cover had been, in a matter of hours, turned into a brown scar.
This, despite the country’s highest court having passed an order banning mining in the Aravali hills of Haryana.
Forest officials were tipped off about the rampant destruction by Haryali, a Non Governmental Organisation. The trees were dug up to make trenches for laying electricity lines.
The forest department confirmed no permission had been sought or granted to anyone to cut trees.
“Starting just off NH-8, a stretch of about one kilometer is devoid of Masket, Tortilis and Kheri trees, “said Devender Rao, forest Range Officer. “We found concrete electricity poles and felled trees all over.”
A high-tension electricity line is being laid in the area.
The driver of the earth-moving machine and other people hired by a private excavation company managed to flee the site along with the vehicle when officials raided the spot.
Haryali founder Vivek Kamboj said the excavation work was carried out indiscriminately.
“The passage required barely one meter-wide space, but the earthmoving machine uprooted trees for a passage of more than five meters with scant regard for greenery,” he said.
Rao said his department was trying to locate the excavation company that would be prosecuted in Faridabad’s special environment court.
Officials of the state-owned power distribution company Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) have disassociated themselves from the incident.
SUPREME CONCERN
- On May 8,the Supreme Court suspended all mining activities in the Aravali hills in Haryana.
- The order was passed after a continued years long fight from environmental groups over the risk mining posed-degraded hills and loss of green cover.
- Loss of trees and continued mining activity leads to depleting water table and rise of temperature in area.
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