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Ludhiana: GLADA reserves 455 acres in Mattewara for afforestation
The initiative is part of a larger 950-acre site designated for forestation to ensure that development projects do not come at the cost of environmental degradation
The Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) has earmarked 455.30 acres of forest land in Mattewara for various state departments to fulfill compensatory afforestation obligations under the directions of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
The initiative is part of a larger 950-acre site designated for forestation to ensure that development projects do not come at the cost of environmental degradation.
Chief administrator Sandeep Kumar said, “Around 455 acres of land has been reserved for different departments in Mattewara forest. The registry for this land will be done once payment is made by the departments.” He added that the plantation drives will be launched once the registry process is complete.
As per NGT guidelines, any government department or agency that diverts forest land for construction or development must compensate by planting trees over an equivalent area. This can be done either on the same project site or at a dedicated afforestation zone such as Mattewara.
Several departments have already been allotted land at Mattewara, including the Public Works Department (PWD), Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Urban Development Department, and municipal corporations. Once funds are deposited, these agencies are required to start plantation work on the land allotted to them.
Out of the total 950 acres set aside for forestation, the remaining 494.7 acres are yet to be assigned. Officials said that the unallocated land will gradually be distributed as more departments undertake projects requiring compensatory afforestation.
Across the state, numerous projects have involved the diversion of forest land. PWD Patiala has diverted land for four-laning of the Amritsar–Tarn Taran road and also marked areas for rejuvenation of water bodies. Northern Railway, Chandigarh, has made use of forest land for the Kartoli–Talwara railway line, while the National Highways Authority has undertaken similar diversions in Bathinda and Ferozepur for road upgrades and the setting up of Veterinary Units (VUPs).
Each of these projects carries its own afforestation requirements, usually ranging from a few acres to several dozen, depending on the project’s scale.
GLADA officials said full plantation drives in Mattewara will begin before the end of the current monsoon season, with periodic checks to ensure the land grows into a healthy green cover.
