Encroachments galore on banks of oldest natural drain in Faridabad

Bijendra Ahlawat

Tribune News Service

Faridabad, October 5

Budhiya Nullah, the oldest natural drain in the city, is faced with encroachments. The authorities concerned are yet to launch a drive against the illegal constructions that have allegedly come up in violation of the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA) in many parts of the city.

Revealing that several acres of land located on the banks of the 25-km long Budhiya Nullah has been encroached by land mafia over the past few years, sources in the local civic administration claim that hundreds of residential structures have come up on the land that belongs to the Municipal Corporation.

Emerging from the Aravalli hills in the Surajkund area, the drain passes under NH-19 to culminate in the Yamuna river. It is claimed that the constructions have come up on both sides of the banks of the drain at Sector 45, Greenfields Colony and Mewla Maharajpur village, all falling under the civic limits.

“Though the land of the drain is owned by the Faridabad Municipal Corporation, several acres of the land located in the west side of the drain also comes under the PLPA, which prohibits construction of any type,” environment activist Vishnu Goel said.

Plotting had also been done on several acres on the land belonging to a natural dam near Anangpur village, which was also a forest land, he added.

“The nullah not only drains out sewage waste but also saves the city from flooding during the rainy season. The authorities concerned should conduct a survey and remove the encroachments that threaten its existence,” AK Gaur, a resident, said.

A bridge built on this drain, which has not been used, has also been declared as a heritage spot due to the fact that it came up about 100 years ago.

The Union Minister of state for Heavy Industries, Krishan Pal Gurjar, who visited the bridge recently, has asked the authorities to take up a renovation project.

“A demarcation of the area will be done shortly and action will be taken against the encroachments if any,” Rajkumar, District Forest Officer, Faridabad, said.

Emerges from Aravallis, culminates in Yamuna

Emerging from the Aravalli hills in the Surajkund area, the drain passes under NH-19 to culminate in the Yamuna river. It is claimed that constructions have come up on both sides of the banks of the drain at Sector 45, Greenfields Colony and Mewla Maharajpur village, all falling under the civic limits.

Conduct land survey

The nullah not only drains out sewage waste but also saves the city from flooding during the rainy season. The authorities concerned should conduct a survey and remove the encroachments that threaten its existence. — AK Gaur, a resident