CHANDIGARH, June 21 – The Punjab Housing Department has constituted a multi-departmental committee to examine unauthorised constructions near Chandigarh, especially in eco-sensitive zones, after the state’s Eco-Tourism Development Committee (EDC) rejected the regularisation pleas of around 90 farmhouse owners, many of them influential politicians and retired bureaucrats.
The move comes on the directions of Chief Secretary KAP Sinha, with Housing Secretary Vikas Garg issuing formal orders for the committee’s creation. The step follows the EDC’s decision in April, under Forests and Wildlife Secretary Priyank Bharti, to dismiss all pending regularisation requests, citing violations of environmental and land-use norms.
The Forest Department had earlier classified the farmhouses into two groups — those built on land delisted under the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA) and those that still fall under PLPA-protected areas. Officials said most of the unauthorised constructions are in delisted zones, but around 20 cases pertain to protected areas where prosecution under multiple laws is likely.
“We are looking at violations of the Forest Conservation Act (1980), the Indian Forest Act (1927), the Wildlife Protection Act, and relevant Supreme Court rulings,” a senior Forest Department official said.
Many of the structures fall within the eco-sensitive zone of Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary and are governed by the Periphery Control Act. The violators, officials said, include retired IAS and IPS officers, politicians, and developers, several of whom are allegedly operating commercial activities, including resorts and events, from these illegally constructed farmhouses.
In past communications, the Forest Department had asked the Housing Department to take action against those involved in unauthorised plotting and construction, especially in the delisted forest areas. In some cases, large-scale land development and commercial operations have been reported in defiance of the Supreme Court’s guidelines on land use near protected zones.
The newly formed committee, comprising officials from the Tourism Department, Local Government, Forests, and other relevant bodies, will study such violations and submit policy recommendations for action across Punjab, with a specific emphasis on Chandigarh’s periphery.
“This is not just an environmental issue — it reflects the unchecked privilege of powerful individuals who flout ecological norms for personal gain,” a senior official said, adding that enforcement agencies will act firmly on the committee’s findings.
