UD Ministry Asked Not To Okay It Until Green Concerns Are Addressed New Delhi: In a rare intervention, the Prime Minister’s Office has asked the Union urban development ministry not to approve Haryana’s sub-regional plan — which allows construction beyond 0.5% in conservation areas such as the Aravalis and tourism activities in these zones — before environmental concerns are addressed. The missive came a day before the NCR Planning Board was scheduled to hold a special meeting to approve the plan. Referring to news reports on the haste to clear Haryana’s plan — something TOI has been highlighting — PMO said the board must get feedback from the environment and forest ministry and address its concerns before clearing the sub-regional plan. It has also asked the UD ministry and the board to ensure protection of forest areas, including the sacred grove of Mangar near Gurgaon, sources said. Representatives from the ministry sit in the NCRPB, including the minister who chairs the board. The board was scheduled to meet on Thursday. But after the poll dates were announced in the morning, the NCRPB postponed the meeting. “We will seek permission of the Election Commission to hold the meeting,” a source said. Sources said that before the board secretariat had decided on cancelling the meeting, UP government shot a letter to the NCRPB saying that their representative won’t attend since poll code of conduct had come into force. Another strong letter from Delhi government reached the planning board, raising questions on the hurry to clear both the regional plan for NCR and Haryana’s sub-regional plan, sources said. Delhi government is believed to have pointed out that many of the issues it had raised had not been incorporated while clearing the regional plan. While the views of Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung had been incorporated in the minutes of the last board meeting, this was not reflected in the policy decision. The approved minutes mostly favour Haryana’s case. TOI has learnt that on Wednesday, MoEF sent its observations to NCRPB on the plan forNCR. On Haryana’s sub-regional plan, the NCR secretariat has asked the state government to incorporate about adozen green provisions.