Razed few farm houses in Aravali forest, Faridabad civic body to SC

New Delhi, Aug 23 The Faridabad Municipal Corporation on Monday informed the Supreme Court that few farmhouses have been razed, during the hearing of a matter connected with the demolition of unauthorised structures on Aravali forest land in Khori village of the Haryana district.

The top court reiterated that the demolition of all unauthorised structures on Aravali forest land in Faridabad's Khori should continue, as it heard an application filed by owners of some marriage halls which have received notices from the civic body.

A bench of Justices A.M. Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari said that Faridabad Municipal Corporation has to proceed and demolish the unauthorised structures as per law.

It told counsel appearing for the owners of some marriage halls that "let the corporation decide on your representation and after that is decided, we will consider what course of action can be adopted".

Counsel representing the civic body submitted before the bench: "We have already demolished few farm houses." Counsel added that they have filed a compliance report in the matter on Monday.

The top court scheduled the matter for further hearing after two weeks.

At this juncture of the hearing, counsel for marriage hall owners submitted that in the meantime, the authority should not demolish their structures while they consider their representation. The bench replied if it is unauthorised, then it has to be demolished as per the law and added they can make representations and the authority will consider it. The top court will hear the matter on September 6.

On August 3, the top court had said that all unauthorised structures on Aravali forest land in Khori village will have to go. The top court, on June 7, had directed Haryana and the Faridabad Municipal Corporation to remove "all encroachments", consisting around 10,000 residential constructions, in Aravali forest area near the village.