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The National Green Tribunal has directed the Haryana government, forest authorities and pollution control boards to file their responses to allegations of mining and excavation on protected Aravalli land in Faridabads Badkhal area.
The Principal Bench, headed by Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Expert Member Dr Afroz Ahmad, issued notices to the respondents and directed them to file their replies by way of affidavits at least one week before the next date of hearing. The matter has been listed for December 1, 2026. The Tribunal took suo motu cognisance of a media report and stated in the order that, despite a ban on mining in the Haryana Aravalli area for more than two decades, two excavators were allegedly found operating on around 25 acres of forest land in Badkhal, Faridabad. The report alleged extensive rock excavation, accumulation of broken stones and clearing of vegetation from a substantial portion of the land. The Tribunal noted that the land is protected under Sections 4 and 5 of the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA) and forms part of the Aravalli landscape. The order also records the allegation that no permission from the Forest Department had been obtained for the work. The order further noted that the reported excavation had allegedly continued for two days and that the news report referred to around 500 metric tonnes of stones being generated, a figure which the Forest Department had denied. The Tribunal also took note of the locations significance in view of the ongoing revival of Badkhal Lake, which dried up in 2002. The lake rejuvenation project includes restoration of water retention, recharging with water from a 10 MLD sewage treatment plant, lake-bed treatment, bund strengthening and lake-front development. The Tribunal also referred to earlier reports of alleged illegal mining in Nuhs Rava area, where around 6,000 metric tonnes of stones were reportedly mined, and blasting was allegedly carried out. It also noted a report concerning an illegal road in Basai Meo. The bench observed that the matter indicated possible violations of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and other environmental norms, including the PLPA. It said the news report raised substantial issues concerning compliance with environmental norms and implementation of statutory provisions. The Tribunal impleaded the Government of Haryana through its Chief Secretary, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Inspector General of Forests under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Haryana State Pollution Control Board and Central Pollution Control Board as respondents. (ANI)
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