How Aravali Retreat RWA pulled off a con job
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How Aravali Retreat RWA pulled off a con job

Duping farmhouse owners for years, the unregistered RWA of Gurgaon’s Ansal Aravali Retreat kept collecting maintenance charges from them without ever furnishing any receipt.

How Aravali Retreat RWA pulled off a con job Image for representational purposes only

After investigations into the repeated complaints from farmhouse owners in Ansal Aravali Retreat, Gurgaon, it was found that the area’s RWA was illegal. It was also revealed that the association was charging maintenance fees without having the required permission from any of the authorised agencies.  

The farmhouse owners claim that they have not been given any receipt despite paying regular maintenance charges. Kuldeep Kohli, a complainant, says, “If we don't pay the maintenance charges, power and water supply is cut off. We got tired of the entire situation and filed a formal complaint.”

Investigations revealed that the RWA members were selected without any election, and no registration was done. The next hearing is scheduled for July 4. It is expected that the registrar will dissolve the present RWA — as only he can — and ask for fresh elections to constitute a new body.

Ansal Aravali Retreat, which has almost 590 farmhouses, has been mired in controversy ever since its inception. The 1,200-acre gated community is located on the Aravalli hill range and has been in the news for flouting environmental norms, particularly the *Aravali notification of 1992.  

The illegality of the RWA adds a new dimension to an already controversial construction. Rajesh Bhatt, a farmhouse owner, points out, “We were allocated these farmhouses in 1990. But it is only in these past three years that we've realised we were being taken for a ride. We have not been given any acknowledgement for the payments we have been making over the years.”

Speaking to City Spidey, the investigating officer said, “The commissioner ordered investigations into the matter and it was found that the RWA was illegally collecting money from the residents. The police officials have been asked to file an FIR against the association. After the investigation is completed, the present RWA will be dissolved.”

 

*The Aravali notification dated May 7, 1992, restricts non-forest activities, including setting up industries, construction of clusters of dwelling units, farmshouses, sheds, community centres and any other activity connected with such construction (including roads and part of any infrastructure), covered areas falling only under Gurgaon and its adjoining district Alwar. The restriction is applicable to entire common hill land and all zones that were covered under section-4&5 of the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA). For any non-forest activity in areas falling under the PLPA notification, it is mandatory to get prior approval from the MoEF.