Faridabad/ New Delhi: The Haryana forest department has pushed the demand to bring the hill area including sacred forest in Mangar in Faridabad under the conservation zone. The proposal has been moved even as the state government is giving the final touches to the development plan for 23 Aravali villages which will allow a tourist-cum-entertainment complex in the forest. Haryana principal chief conservator of forests Chhotu Ram Jotriwal said, “We have placed the proposal before the government and this is based on recommendations of the Faridabad deputy commissioner. It takes time for the government to notify areas under Section 4&5 of Punjab Land and Preservation Act,” he said. The notification under these two sections of the law restricts land use for any non-forestry purpose. The letter written by Faridabad deputy commissioner — accessed through RTI by environment activists — to the town and country planning department states: “I am of the view that the Aravali hilly stretches should be excluded from the agriculture zone and delineated as a water recharge and forest conservation zone in the draft development plan of Mangar 2031.” Forest department officials said they hope the government will exclude this area from development activity while finalizing the development plan. The protection of this huge patch of land is crucial considering the government plan to allow mining in some parts of Mangar. Records available with TOI show that Haryana government has identified 210 hectares in Mangar and Mohabatabad villages for fresh mining.