Diversion of Gurgaon-Manesar expressway: NGT slaps cost of Rs 30000 on Haryana for not filing reply

The National Green Tribunal has slapped a cost of Rs 30,000 on the Haryana government for not filing its reply on a plea opposing the diversion of a 12-km stretch of Gurgaon-Manesar expressway.

A bench headed by Acting Chairperson Justice Jawad Rahim noted that the state government and its Forest Department have not filed their replies despite specific direction of the tribunal on January 30.

The green panel directed that the cost be deposited with the Legal Aid Committee of the NGT.

The order came after advocate Ayush Arora, appearing for the petitioner, said that the state authorities had failed to file their response despite clear directions of the NGT.

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 green panel was hearing a plea filed by Haryana-resident Harinder Dhingra opposing the construction of the proposed new route for Gurgaon-Manesar Express Highway in the forest area of the Aravalli Range as it was in violation to the provisions of the Forest (Conservation) Act 1980.

According to 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 Aravalli, 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). All these lands are protected either under the Aravalli notification dated May 7, 1992 or the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, or by orders of the Supreme Court and the NGT," the plea said.

The plea said that the area in question forms part of the Aravalli hill range
"The destruction of Aravalli will led to straying of leopards outside their habitat into the open space which will be readily-available by constructing a