CHANDIGARH: With the Haryana budget session set to commence from February 20, Union Minister Rao Inderjit Singh, who is the MP from Gurugram, has written a letter to Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, noting that decades of mining and illegal construction have severely damaged the Aravalli ranges and warning that builders have an eye on the ecologically sensitive zone.
Singh urged the BJP-led Haryana government to use the Budget to make it clear that Aravalli protection is a top priority. He sought “concrete and clear” provisions for Aravalli conservation, garbage management and water protection are needed in the upcoming state budget.
Referring to the 'deepening public concern' in south Haryana over environmental degradation, Singh noted that the range acts as a natural shield for the region, playing a critical role in groundwater recharge, climate moderation and air quality. He cautioned that continued neglect could have long-term consequences for both ecology and livelihoods.
Singh also highlighted the Bandhwari garbage mountain in his letter, noting that 1,200 tonnes of waste from Gurugram-Manesar and 700-800 tonnes from Faridabad get dumped everyday in the Aravalli hills there. The Bandhwari landfill sits on the Gurugram-Faridabad highway, close to the Aravalli forests, and holds about 35 lakh tonnes of waste.
The letter stated that due to the dumping of waste, ground water of several villages has been contaminated, posing serious health risks to residents. Singh added that Gurugram has earned a dubious distinction at the global level for its poor sanitary conditions due to the malfunctioning of the municipal corporations of Gurugram and Manesar. He sought special budget provisions for a permanent fix to clear the waste and rehabilitate affected areas.
Green activists too have sought a special fiscal package for the conservation of the Aravalli range, terming it one of the most pressing environmental challenges facing the state.
Talking to The New Indian Express, Vishali Rana and Col SS Oberoi (Retd) of the Aravali Bachao Citizen Movement Trust said that they have demanded in a letter to the Chief Secretary the setting up of an Aravalli Task Force to curb deforestation, illegal mining and encroachments, and an Aravalli awareness centre and museum, revival package for lost water bodies and aquifers, protection of wildlife, especially leopards, and habitat restoration, revamping of the forest department and special budgetary support for core ecological zones and foothills.
"The Haryana government needs to take up the Aravalli issue in its budget as it is one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world. The state is in the critical zone when it comes to environment and we need special fiscal attention to protect the Aravallis. The promises made ten years ago were just mere announcements. The Chief Minister has met all sections but did not care to meet environmentalists to understand their concerns or issues," she said.