Gurugram: Union minister and BJP leader Rao Inderjit Singh has written to Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, flagging environmental concerns in the Aravalli region and the contiguous south Haryana, including his Gurgaon parliamentary constituency, and urged budgetery allocations to tackle them.
Sent on 27 January, days ahead of the beginning of the Budget Session on 20 February, the letter focuses largely on three issues: Aravalli conservation, tackling the Bandhwari garbage crisis, and addressing water pollution from Rajasthan , affecting the residents of Rewari and Dharuhera.
The Union minister’s letter, accessed by The Print, particularly refers to the “deepening public concern” in south Haryana over environmental degradation, with a specific focus on the Aravalli region, and warns that the builders have an eye on the ecologically sensitive zone.
He underlined that the Aravallis function as a natural shield for the region, crucial for groundwater recharge, climate balance and air quality, and warned that continued neglect could have long-term consequences for both ecology and livelihoods.
Addressing CM Nayab Saini as “Dear Chaudhary Saab”, Singh, who holds independent charge of statistics, planning and culture ministries at the Centre and represents Gurugram in Lok Sabha, says public anxiety is high in Gurugram, Rewari, Nuh and Faridabad over these environmental questions.
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The Aravalli issue
The letter says that years of mining and illegal construction have damaged the Aravalli ranges. Singh’s letter says recent Supreme Court orders on Aravalli boundaries have created confusion among people about what’s protected and what’s not.
Last November, the Supreme Court defined Aravalli Hills as landforms rising 100 metres or more above local relief, with two or more such hills within 500 metres forming an Aravalli Range. The court put a stop to new mining leases till the state prepared a management plan.
Environmental groups have protested, saying this definition left out over 90 percent of the Aravallis from protection, opening them for mining and exploitation.
Later, the Supreme Court stayed its November 2025 judgment, acknowledging that this definition could reduce protected areas. It ordered a new expert committee to redefine the range.
Singh wants the Saini government to use the budget to make clear that Aravalli protection is a top priority.
Bandhwari’s garbage mountain
One of the major problems Singh has highlighted is Bandhwari garbage mountain. Every day, 1,200 tonnes of waste from Gurugram-Manesar and 700-800 tonnes from Faridabad gets dumped in the Aravalli hills there.
The Bandhwari landfill sits on the Gurugram-Faridabad highway, close to Aravalli forests. It started in 2010 in an abandoned mine. Today it holds about 35 lakh tonnes of waste.
Locals and activists have been complaining for years. Leachate seeps into forest land and groundwater. Fires break out regularly. Wildlife—leopards, hyenas and others—are affected.
The letter says that due to the negligence of the agencies in dumping waste, ground water of several villages has been contaminated, posing serious health risks to residents.
In September 2022, the National Green Tribunal slapped a Rs 100-crore fine on the Haryana government for violations there, but problems continue.
Rao’s letter also tells Saini that Gurugram has earned a dubious distinction at the global level for its poor sanitary conditions due to the malfunctioning of the municipal corporations of Gurugram and Manesar.
Singh wants special budget provisions for a permanent fix, to clear the waste and rehabilitate affected areas. His letter says groundwater is getting polluted and local residents’ health is taking a hit.
Water woes
The third issue Singh has talked about in his letter is polluted water flowing in from Rajasthan. Singh says it’s damaging farmland and water sources in Rewari, Dharuhera and nearby areas.
He has asked for funds for sewage treatment plants, drainage systems and water purification projects.
Chemically contaminated industrial waste comes from Rajasthan’s Bhiwadi industrial town towards adjacent Dharuhera industrial town of Rewari in Haryana. Due to its sheer volume, the dirty waters overwhelm the drain and start flowing on the roads and fields and the NH borders.
The situation becomes particularly dire during Monsoon. During a high-level meeting held under Nitin Gadkari on January 6, a decision was taken to build a 6 km drain along the Delhi-Jaipur Highway to drain out rainwater from Bhiwadi during the monsoon.
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, who attended the meeting besides Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal and Rao Inderjit Singh, assured that a 40 MLD capacity combined affluent treatment plant (CATP) at Bhiwadi will become functional by March this year.
The NCR angle
Singh’s letter makes the point that Aravalli works like a natural barrier for south Haryana. If it weakens, the whole NCR, not just Haryana, will see climate and air quality effects.
He tells Saini the 2026-27 budget needs “concrete and clear” provisions for Aravalli conservation, garbage management and water protection. Public confidence needs restoring, he has said.
Public transport
Besides raising environmental and sanitation concerns, Rao Inderjit Singh has also emphasised the need for public transport for the people of Gurugram.
“Gurugram is an emerging city as the economic capital of the country. There is a strict need to increase public transport for its residents. In this direction, I request that to connect New Gurugram with public transport, a metro corridor be developed along the Dwarka Expressway. New Gurugram is developing around the Dwarka Expressway. I request that the Haryana government make provisions for this in its budget,” the minister’s letter adds.
The letter ends with Singh expressing hope that Saini will grasp the seriousness and act accordingly in the budget.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)