CEC irked by concrete belt from Surajkund to Badkal
The array of schools, engineering colleges, residential colonies and farmhouses on the road connecting Surajkund and Badkal belie the fact that the area is actually a green belt.
The Supreme Court appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has termed the hectic construction activity as a violation of forest rules even as owners and promoters of the myriad buildings claim no rules have been violated.
A list of violations was submitted to the apex court years ago by the Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA). The report – mentioned in the SC judgment on May 14, 2008 – said, “We saw large scale construction on this road (between Suraj Kund and Badkal) from schools to management colleges, and housing colonies.”
Now when the CEC has recommended the demolition of all these structures – some of the institutions were set up as recently as 2002 – as “procedures” were not followed, owners have started asking why permissions were given by the Haryana government in violation of the law and why should individuals and companies pay the price of the government’s oversight.