Gurugram, Jun 24 (IANS): A team of the Municipal Council of Sohna demolished nine illegal farmhouses built on the Aravalli mountain range at Raisina village of Gurugram on Wednesday, officials said.

The drive was conducted at nine illegal farmhouses which included a boundary wall, tin shades and pillar. The demolition was carried out under Section 4 of Aravalli Notification which says that these hills cannot be used for any purpose other than a plantation.

This was done in compliance with a National Green Tribunal (NGT) order from December 2020, which instructed that all such establishments built on the Aravalli range of Gurugram be razed by January 31. A similar drive against unlawful structures in Manesar had been conducted on January 29 by the forest department Gurugram.

According to the officials, The drive was started at 1 p.m. and it took several hours to raze 9 illegal structures with the help of earthmovers. Apart from the Municipal council officials, 100 police personnel were also present at the spot.

"Earlier a demolition notice was served to the owners of these illegal structures. Two of the farmhouse owners claimed they have some legal documents of their properties so we have given them two days to produce those documents. More actions against such illegal structures will be conducted next week after an appointment of a duty magistrate," Praveen Raghav, an official of the Municipal Council Sohna told IANS.

As per a recent forest department survey, there are at least 500 such farmhouses built illegally on Aravalli land in Gurugram, concentrated in areas like Gwal Pahari, Gairatpur Bas, Sohna and Manesar.

"An action was initiated as per the order of the NGT. Cases of some farmhouses are pending in court. Except them, others will be demolished soon as per the norms," the official added.