New Delhi, Feb 11: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday backed calls for scrapping the proposed Aravalli Zoo Safari project in south Haryana, saying the purpose of any intervention there should be conservation and restoration, not destruction or monetisation.
Ramesh shared on X a letter written by a group of retired Indian Forest Services officers to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to put an end to the “destructive” Aravalli Zoo Safari project proposed in the Delhi-bordering state.
“Thirty seven retired Indian Forest Services officers from across the country have written a letter to the Prime Minister urging him to put an end to the destructive Aravalli Zoo Safari project proposed in south Haryana,” the former Union environment minister said.
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The Aravalli forests in Haryana are arguably the most degraded forests in the country and are particularly important for ecological balance in a state that has the lowest forest cover in India, the former environment minister said.
“In this context, the primary purpose of any intervention in this eco-sensitive area should be conservation and restoration, not destruction or monetisation,” Ramesh said.
The letter read that the Aravalli Mountain System is under highly stressed conditions due to anthropogenic activities and it needs PM Modi’s attention to save the ecological and geological heritage.
“Recent scientific studies/researches have exposed the severe unrepairable environmental damages that have taken place due to ongoing land use changes in the Aravallis. The studies reveal that the continuous destruction of these fragile hill ecosystems is causing significant irreversible biodiversity losses,” the letter said.
The officers said the primary purpose of any intervention in an eco-sensitive area should be conservation and restoration and not destruction.
“Around 2009, the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram declared a biodiversity park and partnered with civil society, corporates and residents to plant trees and restore the forest. Today, it has nearly 200 species of native plants, 183 species of birds, numerous species of reptiles and insects,” it pointed out.
Gurugram and Nuh Aravallis need rewilding of natural forests like this and not destructive zoo safari projects, the letter dated February 6 said.
“Therefore, Forests are essential lungs for breathing and sustenance of humans. Let us conserve and protect the millions of year-old Aravalli range to save our civilisation,” it said, urging the government to scrap the project. (PTI)
