Illegal farmhouses row: NGT notice to Punjab chief secretary, top officials over controversial LIGH policy

The policy has come under the scanner of the green panel following mushrooming of illegal farmhouses on the periphery of Chandigarh.

Hearing a petition filed by the Public Action Committee through its representative Jaskirat Singh and others, a Bench comprising NGT chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Afroz Ahmad directed the petitioners to serve a notice on the respondents.

The petitioners alleged that the policy, issued by the Housing and Urban Development Department, directly benefited private landholders in ecologically sensitive delisted areas governed under the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA) and was in conflict of interest as senior bureaucrats, whose family members owned land in the ecologically sensitive zones, were involved in framing and issuing the policy.

Referring to revenue records, the petitioners claimed that Jagdish Chander Garg, father of Vikas Garg, owned land in the delisted/listed PLPA area covered under the policy. Dismissing the assertion of conflict of interest, the Principal Secretary said, “There was absolutely no conflict of interest, as the state government had been informed well in advance about the land.”

Similarly, the petitioners alleged that Shivam Sinha, son of Chief Secretary KAP Sinha, also owned land in the same area. The Chief Secretary did not respond to repeated calls and a message left on his phone to seek his response.

The applicants submitted before the tribunal that the policy permitted approval and regularisation of construction activities on de-listed PLPA and forest-influenced land which, according to them, was otherwise meant only for bona fide agriculture and livelihood purposes.

They argued that the policy appeared to confer benefits on persons having private land interests in ecologically fragile areas and was contrary to the public trust doctrine.

The petition also referred to a meeting held on April 26, 2010, chaired by the then Chief Secretary, Punjab, in which it was decided that demarcation of delisted areas would be carried out using CAMPA funds.

However, the petitioners contended that even after more than 15 years, no such demarcation had been carried out on the ground.

“In the absence of demarcation, hundreds of illegal buildings and permanent structures have mushroomed in the ecologically sensitive Shivalik foothills and Kandi belt regions,” the plea stated, adding that such constructions were allegedly in violation of directions issued by the Supreme Court as well as the Punjab Eco-Tourism Policy, 2018, which “does not permit permanent constructions in delisted zones”.

The tribunal has also directed the Deputy Commissioners of Mohali, Rupnagar, SBS Nagar, Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur and Pathankot to submit detailed action-taken reports before the next date of hearing.

The reports are to include particulars of existing constructions, alleged violations, permissions granted, if any, and steps taken to prevent unauthorised development in delisted PLPA lands.

The LIGH policy, notified on November 20, 2025, seeks to provide a framework for regularisation of existing structures and grant permissions for low-impact constructions in such areas. The petitioners have sought a stay on the operation and implementation of the policy.

The matter has been ordered to be listed along with connected OA No. 626 of 2025 on July 21, as the same policy is already under challenge in another matter before the tribunal.