Aravali Safari Park Project

GS Paper III Environment & Ecology

The Haryana government is planning to develop the Aravali safari park across 3,858 hectares in Gurugram and Nuh.

It aims to be the world’s largest safari park and was one of the election promises made by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
However, the project has faced strong opposition since its announcement.

About Aravali Safari Park Project

It is an initiative by the state government of Haryana to develop the world’s largest safari park.
Key Features of the Project
- Purpose and Design:
  - The project aims to conserve wildlife by showcasing a variety of animals, including big cats, amphibians, and herbivores.
  - It includes a bird park, nature trails for trekking, and an immersive underwater world.
  - There will be ten different zones for different species, including exotic animals and birds.
- The project will be developed by Tagbin (a tech-experiential company) and The Logical Zoo (a design firm for zoos and aquariums).

Environmental Concerns
- The project is located in the Aravali mountain range, the oldest mountain range in the world, stretching 690 km from Gujarat to Delhi.
- The Aravalis:
  - Prevent desertification by stopping the Thar Desert from spreading east.
  - Recharge groundwater through their fractured rocks.
  - Support diverse wildlife and plant species.
Impact on Water Resources
- The Aravalis act as an aquifer, helping maintain groundwater levels in the water-scarce regions of Gurugram and Nuh.
- These districts have “over-exploited” groundwater levels, as noted by the Central Ground Water Board.
- Increased tourism, vehicular traffic, and construction could disturb these aquifers, worsening the water crisis.
Forest and Conservation Laws
- The proposed site is classified as “forest” and is protected under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980.
- Haryana’s forest cover is just 3.6%, one of the lowest in India, requiring rewilding rather than commercial development.

Aravali Safari Park Project

The Aravalli Range is one of the oldest mountain ranges, running across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi.
The mountains are divided into two main ranges – the Sambhar Sirohi Range and the Sambhar Khetri Range in Rajasthan,
It serves as a natural barrier to the Thar Desert and is rich in biodiversity.
Despite its ecological significance, the range is not fully notified as ‘deemed forests’ under Indian laws.

The Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA), 1900 protects parts of the Aravalli hills but not all areas are recorded as “forest.”
In 2015, 18,000 acres of Aravallis in Gurgaon and Faridabad were classified as “yet to be decided” for legal status.
Some regions like Mangar Bani are protected as ‘gair mumkin pahad’ (no construction zones).

Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA), 1900
- Protects a large part of the Aravalis by restricting land use changes and preventing deforestation for non-agricultural purposes.
Indian Forest Act
- Recently, 24,000 hectares of the Aravalis were notified as Protected Forest to offset forest land diversion in the Nicobar islands.
T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad Judgment (1996)
- Provides legal protection to all forest areas as per their dictionary meaning, including unnotified forests in the Aravalis.
National Capital Region (NCR) Regional Plan-2021
- Classifies the Aravalis as a Natural Conservation Zone (NCZ).
- Limits construction to a maximum of 0.5% of the area.

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