The Supreme Court has pulled up the Haryana government for passing amendments to an act which allows construction in Aravalli hills. A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Deepak Gupta yesterday said, the step will destroy the forest and it cannot be permitted. Terming the move as shocking, the bench asked the state not to take any further action on the law. It said, the Haryana government has taken the step despite the apex court’s directive in this regard.
The Haryana Assembly had, on Wednesday, passed amendments to an act, opening up thousands of acres of land to real estate and other non-forest activity that were protected under it for over a century.
The top court had in January extended till 31st July the deadline for house owners, whose buildings were ordered to be demolished due to illegal constructions in forest area of Aravalli hills, to vacate their premises subject to furnishing of undertaking in this regard.