Have you noticed, the monsoons have extended till October end, the winters are getting shorter and the summers unbearable? Our survival is quite honestly a miracle. We are indebted to the mighty range that is protecting us: the Aravallis. Like a great-great-great grandparent, India’s oldest mountain range has nourished us and taken care of us.

Aravallis in South Haryana are the lungs of the National Capital Region, supplying ground water for the survival of millions of people, protecting us from air pollution and the dust storms coming from the Thar. It is now time for us to protect and nourish the Aravallis. Not just for you and me but for our future generations.

Sadly, our collective actions are destroying them. So it is only our collective actions that can save them. We are a group of citizens from the National Capital Region who have been fighting tooth and nail to save the Aravallis, as it is our very lifeline but we cannot do this alone. This majestic range needs planned government intervention to survive and thrive.

On 1st November 2021 (which is Haryana Day) we have started this petition asking the Chief Minister of Haryana, Mr. Manohar Lal Khattar to adopt the 8 points we have listed out and truly be a government that takes climate change seriously. 

1) Increase forest cover in Haryana from a measly 3.6% to the national average of 20%.

2) Identify all forests in the state including all Aravallis according to the dictionary meaning of forests as directed by the honourable Supreme Court.

3) Stop illegal mining and cancel plans to legalise mining in the Aravallis.

4) Remove all illegal encroachments in the Aravallis.

5) Renew 80% of the expired notifications under the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA) and withdraw the PLPA Amendment Bill that seeks to open up 33% of the area treated as forest land in Haryana for real estate.

6) Retain all Aravallis in the Natural Conservation Zone.

7) Declare all Aravalli areas in Haryana such as the sacred forest of Manger, Damdama lake etc that are part of the corridor for the movement of wildlife from Asola wildlife sanctuary in Delhi to Sariska in Rajasthan as a wildlife sanctuary to protect the rich wildlife thriving here.

8) Remove the toxic Bandhwari landfill and cancel plan for the Waste-to-Energy plant in the eco-sensitive Aravalli belt.

As Citizens, we have a few suggestions that can help the government take concrete actions:

a) Increase forest check posts, patrolling and surveillance of the Aravallis using drone technology to stop illegal forest activities. 

b) Set up a help-line number for people in villages and cities to report instances of illegal tree felling, mining and encroachments on forest land.

c) All remaining Aravalli areas (50,000 acres plus) including biodiversity and wildlife rich areas like the sacred forest of Manger, Gurgaon’s Aravali Biodiversity Park etc. that have not been notified as deemed forests under the Punjab Land Preservation Act should be brought under the protection of forest and wildlife laws.

d) Retain all areas recorded as Gair Mumkin Pahad, Bhood etc in the revenue records as legal Aravalli areas and not exclude them from the Natural Conservation Zone as these are critical areas for ground water recharge.

e) Preserve the beauty of the Aravalli ecosystem by creating healing forests as done by countries like Korea, Japan etc and have the villagers create livelihoods by being trekking guides and running home stays in the Aravalli belt.. 

f) Withdraw the clearance given for a 15 MW capacity waste to energy plant at Bandhwari landfill site. No further clearance for a 25 MW WTE capacity plant to be given.

g) Eliminate 35 lakh plus tons of legacy waste at Bandhwari landfill by implementing proven, tried and tested techniques like Bioremediation and do native planting to reclaim 30+ acres of Aravalli land.

h) Scrap the 22 year old contract with the inefficient firm Eco Green. Integrate waste pickers and waste workers to replace Eco Green in Gurgaon and Faridabad.

i) Stop the daily dumping of 2000 tons of unsegregated, mixed waste from Gurgaon and Faridabad at Bandhwari landfill by strictly enforcing Solid Waste Management Rules 2016 based on source segregation and decentralised waste management in both the cities.

We received the Aravallis from our ancestors who cared for it.  We need to pass it down, still alive, still protecting, still nourishing us and other life forms. Sign and share this petition widely so that more people join our cause to demand our right to breathe clean air and have water security. This will give us a greater chance of being heard by the government. Let’s save the Aravallis for our today and our children’s tomorrow.

#SaveOurAravallis  #AravalliBachao