Punjab Housing Department blamed for allowing illegal structures in Chandigarh periphery

Rajmeet Singh

Chandigarh, May 12

The Punjab Housing Department has come under the scanner over its failure to curb mushrooming of farmhouses and palatial structures in areas delisted from the forest land on the periphery of Chandigarh.

The areas delisted from forest areas run parallel to the forest areas on the periphery of Chandigarh. The Punjab Forest Department has written to the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) to curb mushrooming of farmhouses and plotting being done by developers in violation of the Supreme Court guidelines on delisted forest areas.

“The areas falls within the eco-sensitive zone of Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary and comes under the purview of the Periphery Control Act. But GMADA officials responsible for checking violations have failed to do so. The violators include retired IAS, IPS officers, politicians and influential persons who are running commercial activity from the farmhouses and resorts,” said a senior Forest Department functionary.

These structure shave not come up overnight. The resorts and farmhouses are being used for holding parties, marriage functions and night stay. The Forest Department has been repeatedly writing to the Housing Department to act against the violators.

A senior functionary said if CM Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government through its Panchayat Department could act against VIP encroachers on shamlat land, the same could be done in case of the Forest Department.

There are Supreme Court guidelines regarding the land use in delisted forest land, largely privately owned. There should be clarity and strictness by the government so hat gullible investors are not trapped.

In the areas regulated under Sections 4 and 5 of the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA), 1900, falling in Tarapur, Burana, Gocher, Majra, Sultanpur, Pallanpur, Dulwan, Siswan, Choti-Badi Nagal, Parol, Majarian, Seonk, Parch, Kasauli, Nada, Karoran, Mirzapur, Saini Majra, Mullanpur, Bhronjian, Thaksa, Hoshairpur, Bhulheri and Malakpur villages, farmhouses and resorts have come right under the nose of the Forest Department.

Violators of the law would be prosecuted under relevant Acts and rules, including Indian Forest Act, 1927, Forest Conservation Act, 1980, Wildlife Protection Act, 1927, and for criminal contempt of Supreme Court orders regarding the land use under the PLPA, 1900.

Parties at farmhouses

• Resorts and farmhouses are being used for parties, marriage functions and night stay. The Forest Department has been repeatedly writing to the Housing Department to act against the violators
• Regulated areas include Tarapur, Burana, Gocher, Majra, Sultanpur, Pallanpur, Dulwan, Siswan, Choti-Badi Nagal, Parol, Majarian, Seonk, Parch, Kasauli, Nada, Karoran, Mirzapur, Saini Majra, Mullanpur, Bhronjian, Thaksa, Hoshairpur, Bhulheri and Malakpur villages

Retd officials among violators

Violators include retired IAS, IPS officers, politicians and influential persons who are running commercial activity from farmhouses and resorts. — Senior Forest Dept functionary