How Haryana plans to stop Thar before Aravalis

GURGAON: The state govt is planning to carry out a drive to conserve the moisture content in the Aravali soil to stop the Thar desert from expanding to the region.According to a recent study, the desert soil is found to be expanding towards eastern Rajasthan, and the Indo-Gangetic plains of Haryana and western UP. Officials said the project would start in 10 days and continue till July.The project will be carried out in six districts - Gurgaon, Nuh, Faridabad, Palwal, Mahendergarh and Rewari. As part of the drive, check dams will be developed to ensure water is retained in the area. Native species like Ronj (acacia leucophloea), Khejri (prosopis cineraria) and Amaltas, all of which can survive the harsh conditions of Aravalis, will be planted there."We will set up small structures of stones filled in wire mesh cages along all the water channels of the Aravalis. The focus will be to hold the soil and capture the run-off water in these structures," said MS Malik, additional principal chief conservator of forests and conservator of wildlife, south Haryana.He said the move would also help in improving the groundwater situation in the Aravali districts. "It will help the upcoming plantation of the area. This process will improve soil quality and carbon sequestration. The soil strata in the area is poor, which is why the process of soil moisture conservation is all the more important," he added.The move is crucial for the city, which lost maximum forest cover in the state between Oct 2019 and Feb 2020 - 2.5sqkm. According to a Forest Survey of India report of 2021, Haryana's tree cover reduced by 140sqkm during this period. While framing the forest policy in 2006, Haryana had fixed a target of achieving 20% forest and tree cover in a phased manner. This has, however, not reflected on the ground.