FIR against petrol pump for encroaching upon green belt

                          FIR against petrol pump for encroaching upon green belt

GURGAON: As part of the ongoing drive against encroachers of the green belt in the city, the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) has filed a FIR against a petrol pump located in Sector 44. The authority said the pump owner had encroached on 20 metres of green belt at both the entry and exit points.

HUDA officials swung into action after receiving a complaint from the Gurgaon traffic police recently. The initial complaint was regarding the traffic chaos near the petrol pump and the adjoining CNG pump. HUDA officials carried out a site survey and found the encroachment. As per HUDA records, the entry and exit points of the petrol pump were widened to accommodate more vehicles. “The extra space carved out after encroaching the green belt resulted in concentration of a large number of vehicles all the time. This led to the traffic chaos in the area,” said a senior HUDA official.

The HUDA survey report said 20 metres of green belt has been encroached upon at both the entry and exit points of the petrol pump and the CNG pump. “The encroachment of the green belt is liable for criminal proceedings. On the basis of the survey report, HUDA registered an FIR against the petrol pump operator,” said the official.

The civic body is also likely to write to the oil firms, Bharat Petroleum and Haryana City Gas Distribution Limited.

“Both the government companies would be asked to fix responsibility for the gross violation of the HUDA rules,” said the official.

The authority has cracked the whip on the violators who have encroached upon the green belt in all HUDA sectors. “There is zero tolerance policy on green belt. From now on, any violator will face police action,” said the official.

Meanwhile, some residents alleged that HUDA’s ongoing drive to remove encroachments from the green belt was selective. “There are so many restaurants, like the one in Sector 45, where the owner has encroached on the green belt and after sundown, it is converted into a sitting place for the customers.”