The Punjab government has informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that differential global positioning system (DGPS)-based demarcation of land delisted under the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA), 1900, is yet to begin in 42 villages of Shaheed Bhagat Singh (SBS) Nagar, while the exercise has been completed in only 18 of 238 such villages in neighbouring Hoshiarpur.
The disclosures were made in separate compliance affidavits filed before the NGT’s principal bench on July 24 in compliance with the tribunal’s directions issued on May 18, amid concerns over alleged illegal development on PLPA-delisted land.
In its compliance affidavit, the SBS Nagar administration said all PLPA-delisted land in the district falls within 42 villages of Balachaur tehsil, with no such land located in Nawanshahr or Banga tehsils. It informed the tribunal that quotations have been invited through a public notice to engage a specialised agency for carrying out DGPS-based demarcation, and the agency will be selected in accordance with government norms.
The administration told the tribunal that the exact extent of any construction on PLPA-delisted land can be determined only after completion of the DGPS survey and preparation of KML files. It further stated that, according to official records, no approval has been granted and no application is pending under the Punjab government’s Policy for approval/regularisation of Low Impact Green Habitats (LIGH), 2025, in respect of the land covered by the proceedings.
The status report, filed by district town planner Gurmukh Singh on behalf of the deputy commissioner, SBS Nagar, said a high-level meeting of officials from the revenue, forest and town planning departments was held on July 1 to review compliance with the tribunal’s directions. During the meeting, the forest department informed the administration that it had already supplied the required land records to the revenue department and proposed engaging retired kanungos or patwaris for the demarcation exercise. The expenditure, it said, would be met under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) scheme, subject to approval.
{{/usCountry}}The status report, filed by district town planner Gurmukh Singh on behalf of the deputy commissioner, SBS Nagar, said a high-level meeting of officials from the revenue, forest and town planning departments was held on July 1 to review compliance with the tribunal’s directions. During the meeting, the forest department informed the administration that it had already supplied the required land records to the revenue department and proposed engaging retired kanungos or patwaris for the demarcation exercise. The expenditure, it said, would be met under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) scheme, subject to approval.
{{/usCountry}}In a separate affidavit, Hoshiarpur deputy commissioner Aashika Jain informed the tribunal that DGPS demarcation has so far been completed in only 18 of the district’s 238 PLPA-delisted villages. The administration said the remaining exercise is being undertaken in phases because the land is spread across a large geographical area involving multiple revenue estates, requiring detailed scrutiny of revenue and forest records as well as coordination among various departments.
The Hoshiarpur administration said DGPS technology would be used wherever required to ensure accurate demarcation, while administrative arrangements and resources for completing the exercise were still being worked out. It also informed the tribunal that no fresh no-objection certificate (NOC) had been issued under the LIGH policy for any land covered by the proceedings.
Both district administrations assured the tribunal that they were closely monitoring the matter and would submit further compliance reports after completion of the demarcation exercise.