In protected Aravalis, an airstrip & hangar too

GURGAON: On a 20-acre plot in a protected section of the Aravalis lies a 550m airstrip and a hangar for small planes.

In rocky Raisina in Sohna, the airstrip abuts flocks of farmhouses built illegally over the years, capitalising on an Aravali peculiarity of land protected under various laws being privately owned and overseen not by the forest, but the revenue, department.

Not concretised, it's a flat clearing in the hills that has, like the Raisina farmhouses, been privately built and is "for private use".

Locals said they had seen small aircraft land and take off from the strip which falls under 'gair mumkin pahar' (uncultivable hill) where construction is prohibited.

The landowner admitted to TOI on Monday to using his planes and asserted his plot did not come under any restricted category. He said construction began in 2005.

Airstrip in Aravalis: Admin says it's not aware, will get it checked
I have not chopped any trees while developing the airstrip. Also, I have permission from the Airports Authority of India and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to land my aircraft on my land. I am not running any commercial activity. I bought this land and I have all the documents to show that it is not illegal. If this was illegal, then why is govt not demolishing it? Why are they not following NGT orders to restore the forest?" he asked.

"I have seen small planes taking off. It doesn't happen very frequently, though," said Dilip Kumar Singh, who lives a kilometre away. Kamlesh, another local, said he had also seen aircraft at the strip, but not in the recent past.

Though privately owned, the airstrip is in Ansal Aravali Retreat, which is designated as 'gair mumkin pahar' (uncultivable hill). Hence, construction is prohibited as it is protected by the Aravali Notification of 1992. Issued by the Union environment ministry, it bars construction of buildings and roads, electrification and felling of trees in 'gair mumkin pahar' land.

A forest department official said it was not under their jurisdiction. "The Ansal Aravali Retreat is in the purview of the district administration," he said, adding the forest department does not have jurisdiction over 'gair mumkin pahar'. Deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav said the administration was not aware of an airstrip being operated in Raisina. "I will get it checked. In case it is found to be illegal, action will be taken," he said. The owner of the 20-acre plot had a run-in with authorities in 2012. At the time, an FIR was registered for illegal quarrying of stones by then Gurgaon mining officer RS Yadav, an official said. The landowner rejected the claim.

The Aravali Retreat, a 1,200-acre area, has a history of environmental violations. Adjacent to the plot with the hangar and airstrip are three farmhouses. Several more have been constructed in Raisina over the years despite directions from the National Green Tribunal to demolish all such properties.

The NGT, in its Dec 9, 2022, order, directed Haryana and Rajasthan govts to set up a monitoring committee and conduct periodic reviews till all encroachments are cleared from 'gair mumkin pahar' land in Gurgaon, Faridabad, Nuh and Alwar. Last year, govt also submitted a report to NGT, giving details of all illegally built structures in Gurgaon in the Sonya Ghosh vs state of Haryana case. Aagney Sali, the petitioner's counsel, said "The entire Aravali Retreat land is protected by the Aravali Notification."

Real estate developer Ansal took approval from the department of town and country planning to develop orchards and farms in Raisina in 1989-90. The developer built a road network and other civic infrastructure and sold small portions of land to different individuals as "farms". Though it did not need any permissions at the time, in 1992, the Aravali Notification banned construction in the area.

Environmentalists on Monday stressed the area is protected. "No one can take permission to develop an airstrip or farmhouse in 'gair mumkin pahar'. Under the Aravali notification, no permission can be granted for non-forest activities as it falls in the Natural Conservation Zone, which restricts construction to 0.5% of the total area," said SS Oberoi, an environmental activist who is involved in several cases for protection of Aravali land.


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