Ludhiana: PAC Warns Punjab government against further extension of mixed land use permissions

The committee served a legal notice upon the chief secretary, government of Punjab, and other concerned authorities

The Public Action Committee (PAC) has served a legal notice-cum-representation upon top Punjab government officials and municipal authorities, objecting to any further extension or continuation of Mixed Land Use (MLU) permissions in areas such as Gill Road and Dholewal.

A worker working in an industry in Janta Nagar in Ludhiana. (HT Photo)

The committee served a legal notice upon the chief secretary, government of Punjab, and other concerned authorities, including the housing & urban development department, local government department, Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), chief town planner, GLADA and municipal corporation Ludhiana.

The committee said industries operating in MLU zones were only permitted for a limited timeframe under the Ludhiana Master Plan notified in 2007-08, with the explicit mandate to eventually relocate to designated industrial zones equipped with proper pollution control and effluent treatment infrastructure. Instead of enforcing this mandatory shifting, the government has granted repeated extensions, with the current deadline expiring on September 30, 2026.

The legal notice contends that issuing repeated extensions effectively alters planned land use through executive orders rather than following the statutory procedures laid down under the Punjab Regional and Town Planning and Development Act, 1995. PAC emphasised that a statutory Master Plan cannot be diluted through administrative extensions.

Environmental concerns and regulatory violations

Raising environmental issues, the notice highlights that during inspections in January 2026, the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) checked about 200 electroplating units in Ludhiana’s MLU zones and found roughly 80 units violating pollution norms. Several units were discovered discharging toxic, heavy-metal-laden effluent directly into the domestic sewage system, prompting the PPCB to disconnect electricity supplies to 25 such establishments.

The committee also highlighted the absence of a common effluent treatment facility connected to these industries, leading to severe pollution burdens on the Buddha Nullah and the Sutlej river system. It warned that permitting further industrial and commercial expansion in non-earmarked areas threatens traffic management, road capacity, parking, air and noise safety, drainage, and public health.

Demands and warning of legal action

PAC has urged the Punjab Government to immediately halt any further extension of MLU permissions that run contrary to the notified Master Plan. The committee called for issuing immediate directions to relocate all industries, including Red and Orange category units, from MLU zones to designated industrial areas in line with statutory provisions, alongside taking strict action against units operating illegally after the deadline.

The committee stated that if the state government proceeds with any further extensions, members will approach the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and other judicial forums. The proposed legal steps would seek to stay or quash extensions, enforce the notified Master Plan, and fix accountability on authorities permitting development contrary to the law. PAC described the notice as a formal demand for corrective action to safeguard planned urban development, environmental health, and the rule of law.