Nayagaon residents voice opposition to Punjab’s Sukhna ESZ plan

While addressing a public rally on Sunday, chairman of the Nayagaon Ghar Bachao Manch, Vineet Joshi said people in the Nayagaon area bought land as per the laws notified by the Punjab government, got their land registered and got the building plans passed

Residents of Nayagaon held a public meeting on Sunday against the proposal of Punjab forest department to designate a 3-kilometre eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) around the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary on the Punjab side.

The leaders alleged that the Nayagaon municipal committee had stopped issuing power and water connections on the orders of the Punjab government and even the building plans were not being passed, even though there was no court order in this regard. (HT File photo)

Recently, the Punjab government, in an affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court, had sought three months to draft a revised proposal, which the court had granted. During the hearing on December 11, the state government had informed the top court that during a public hearing held on December 4 this year, 81 representations were received from the general public and various resident welfare associations, where they stated that ESZ should be 100 metres or less.

While addressing the public rally on Sunday, chairman of the Nayagaon Ghar Bachao Manch, Vineet Joshi said people in the Nayagaon area bought land as per the laws notified by the Punjab government, got their land registered and got the building plans passed. These people had their Nayagaon addresses mentioned on their Aadhaar cards, bank accounts, ration cards and other identity cards.

Also, even the commercial properties had GST numbers issued against Nayagaon addresses. Now, the Punjab forest department’s proposal about ESZ had left all this in limbo with the constant threat of demolition, he said.

Local municipal councillor Surinder Babba said the Indian Wildlife Institute Dehradun, whose reports the Supreme Court of India also validated, had put the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary under Category D for which ESZ up to 100 m was enough. “Is Punjab government above Supreme Court’s validation?” asked Babba.

The leaders alleged that the Nayagaon municipal committee had stopped issuing power and water connections on the orders of the Punjab government and even the building plans were not being passed, even though there was no court order in this regard.