The Haryana government has defended its plan to set up a safari park in the Aravalli hills, telling the Supreme Court that the project aims to restore degraded land rather than pursue commercial interests. In its affidavit, the state said the proposed area had been heavily mined in the past and is now “highly degraded” with scrub vegetation and limited forest cover.
“Instead of death knell, the project will be a conservation initiative for Aravallis as the area will be closed with a boundary wall, which at present is highly prone to encroachments and biotic interference,” the government stated.
The clarification comes in response to a plea filed by five retired Indian Forest Service officers and the collective People for Aravallis, who argued that the project prioritises tourism over the ecological restoration of one of Delhi-NCR’s most vital natural barriers against desertification and pollution.
The state informed the court that the project was initially proposed over 10,000 acres but has now been restricted to 3,300 acres of the most degraded land, selected by the Forest and Wildlife Department. The Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been submitted to the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) for approval.
Haryana also said that no compensatory afforestation funds will be used, and areas with natural vegetation have been excluded. According to the affidavit, the gram panchayats of seven villages whose land is included have raised no objections, expecting employment and other benefits once the project begins.
Refuting allegations of commercial intent, the state said the safari park has no links to real estate activities, which are already restricted in the Aravallis under court orders and a 1992 central government notification.
The government said the safari park would function as an “open zoo” focused on education, research, and awareness, with animals sourced from zoos as per CZA norms. It also assured that the project would not deplete groundwater, as treated wastewater pipelines are already in place to support ecological restoration.
The state plans to restore the landscape through soil moisture conservation, removal of invasive species, and plantation of native flora. The Supreme Court had earlier halted work on the project on October 8, with further hearings expected to determine the park’s fate.