Gurugram Aravallis: Centre proposes restoration across 10,000 acres

Nearly 10,000 acres of Haryana-notified forest land in Gurugram’s Aravallis have been identified for a proposed restoration programme using native trees and grasses, alongside a study of how water moves through the hills.

Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav set out the roadmap after a review meeting chaired by Union minister Manohar Lal and attended by Haryana environment minister Rao Narbir Singh. The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) has been asked to study the area’s hydrology and flora, including vegetation suited to restoration.

The proposed plantations include dhak, ber, baheda, neem, peepal and banyan, as well as more than 25 varieties of local grasses. The hydrological assessment could map runoff, groundwater recharge areas, natural drains, wetlands and degraded catchments that need protection.

The plan also proposes a consolidated boundary wall along points where urban areas meet forest land, with the aim of reducing human-wildlife conflict, including leopards entering settlements. Officials said Aravalli protection measures will follow Supreme Court directions, while new mining leases will remain frozen until a sustainable mining plan is prepared.

The ministers did not specify the study’s cost or start date.