The Aravalli Hills extending across Haryana is all set to be “privatised”. The Revised Regional Plan 2021 will allow tourism activity to take place in the world’s oldest mountain range. With the word “forest” being replaced by “green cover”, leading developers in Haryana will be able to bypass the Forest Conservation Act and also ensure that the current cap restricting construction to 0.5 floor area ration inside the National Conservation Zone (NCZ) be bypassed. “The entire Aravallis will be up for grabs, especially since tourism in Haryana means residential, hotel and commercial construction, including malls, hotels and office complexes,” said environmental analyst Chetan Aggarwal, a member of the consultative committee that was looking into the revision of the National Capital Region Planning Board. “As a first step, 30,000 acres of land will be handed over to mega builders, including DLF, Ireo and M3M,” Mr Aggarwal claimed. Lt. Col. S. Oberoi, heading the Mission Gurgaon Development, was amazed how urban development minister Kamal Nath had green signalled tourism activities in the National Conservation Zone at a time when the Supreme Court had in a series of judgments given in 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2009 declared that the “Aravallis must be protected at any cost”. Amina Sherwani, heading the Women’s Action Forum, warns that the Revised Regional Plan 2021 will also allow for construction in the Yamuna flood plains and the catchment area of the lakes. “We understand that Mr Kamal Nath has penned his signature to this change in the last board meeting and if this happens, then protection of all eco-sensitive areas will be taken away,” said Ms Amina Sherwani.