A quiet storm is brewing in Gurugram’s upscale DLF Phase 5—only this one has roots, trunks, and a vanishing green cover. The Punjab and Haryana High Court has stepped in on its own, taking suo motu cognizance of alarming claims: that nearly 2,000 trees have allegedly been razed across 40 acres in the ecologically fragile Aravalli hills for a DLF real estate project.
Prompted by a news report dated June 12, the Court’s Division Bench, comprising Justices Anil Kshetarpal and Aman Chaudhary, cracked open a public interest litigation without waiting for a formal plea. Protesters, environmentalists, and concerned citizens have already taken to the streets—and the internet—voicing fears of irreversible environmental damage in the name of luxury living.
In its initial move, the Court directed that DLF, the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram, and the State government be made parties to the case. The State was instructed to notify the municipal body immediately and submit a status report within a week. Meanwhile, notices are to be dispatched to the other respondents without insisting on any process fee.
All eyes now turn to June 26, when the case will be heard next. Until then, the fate of those 2,000 trees—and what remains of the Aravallis in the area—hangs in the balance.