Protected Aravali slopes in Faridabad flattened as tractors trample on rules

Faridabad: Parts of nearly 25 acres of sandy Aravali foothills in Faridabad's Kot village have been freshly levelled, with portions of a natural water channel buried under soil and trees cut.Work is taking place on ‘shamlat deh', or village common land, where any occupation, alteration or change of land use is prohibited. Such land, according to law, must remain with the gram panchayat for collective purpose and cannot be sold, transferred or used for private activity.
The site also falls in an Aravali tract notified under Section 4 of Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA). The law, meant to prevent soil erosion and ecological degradation, bars tree-felling, breaking of land, earthmoving and any other non-forest activity without prior approval.In the area where work is on, entities linked to an Indian conglomerate had earlier purchased large tracts. During a visit on Thursday, this correspondent found soil spread across slopes and portions of Machindri nallah, a seasonal natural water channel, filled with soil. A tractor moved across the incline, pouring sand to level more of the incline. The land flattened so far, according to locals, is around two acres. The larger tract remains untouched for now.Foothills marked by sandy soil are highly erosion-prone and flattening them can destabilise the slope. Kot sarpanch Kesar Singh said, "This is village common land. No permission has been given for any such activity."Conservationist Sunil Harsana said burial of natural water channels and levelling of foothills will choke groundwater recharge, worsen flood vulnerability, and fragment wildlife corridors. "Flattening terrain and cutting trees destroys the natural functions of foothill systems," he said. "Sandy Aravali foothills in Kot have forest cover and would meet any reasonable criteria for forests according to the dictionary meaning. The current activity is a violation of Forest Conservation Act, as it is a non-forest activity in a deemed forest," said Lt Col SS Oberoi (retd), a legal activist.In Dec 2025, Punjab and Haryana high court issued a notice to the Haryana govt after residents challenged a land consolidation notification, arguing it could break up village common land and leave plots without access roads, forcing distress sales. Petitioners told the court consolidation cannot proceed until shamlat land is identified and restored to the panchayat, as required under law. They also argued that large stretches of Kot's land lie within Aravalli terrain and gair mumkin pahar, where consolidation or alteration risks ecological damage. The next hearing at the high court is on April 20.Forest officials said they would examine the matter. "We will get it checked and initiate action accordingly," said Surender Dangi, divisional forest officer, Faridabad.