Mohali, March 19: The Mohali police have lodged 35 FIRs against the owners of illegal farmhouses and commercial properties in New Chandigarh following a formal recommendation from the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA). These legal actions, filed under Section 12 of the Punjab Capital Act, 1952, target unauthorized constructions on de-notified forest land in the Shivalik foothills.
The police intervention follows ongoing scrutiny by the Punjab and Haryana High Court regarding large-scale land-use violations in the region. GMADA Chief Administrator Sakshi Sawhney informed the court that a recent survey identified 193 violations, an increase from the 182 initially flagged by the Forest Department. Officials stated that names of 42 additional farms and hotels have been submitted for further legal proceedings.
Investigations revealed that the unauthorized properties are allegedly owned by several high-profile individuals, including bureaucrats and politicians, often using proxy titles to avoid detection. Authorities maintained that many of these sites are being used illegally for commercial events such as weddings and social gatherings. The highest concentration of these violations was recorded in Karoran village, followed by Jayanti Majri and Mirzapur.
The High Court originally expanded the scope of this matter from a single restaurant dispute into a broad Public Interest Litigation (PIL) covering the entire Siswan area. During a Wednesday hearing, the Punjab government requested more time to file a comprehensive affidavit from the Chief Secretary. Officials affirmed that the crackdown will continue until all identified violators across 15 villages are addressed.
