Sirhind-Patiala road widening project : Acquire land to ensure compliance with plantation guidelines: NGT
The NGT has also asked the state and other respondents to submit an affidavit explaining why land cannot be acquired for compensatory afforestation within a 10-km radius of the project site.
The principal bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Punjab state authorities to make all possible efforts to acquire land for ensuring compliance with plantation guidelines for the Sirhind-Patiala road widening project. The tribunal has also asked the state and other respondents to submit an affidavit explaining why land cannot be acquired for compensatory afforestation within a 10-km radius of the project site.
The matter, brought before the NGT by Er Kapil Arora and Jaskirat Singh of the Public Action Committee (PAC), raised concerns over the state’s failure to adhere to mandatory guidelines prescribed under the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) Codes, including IRC SP: 21-2009 (Landscaping & Plantation Guidelines) and IRC SP: 84-2019 (Standards for Four-Lane Highway Upgradation).
According to the petitioners, despite acquiring forest land and commencing tree felling for the widening of the Sirhind-Patiala Road, the Public Works Department (PWD) and Forest Department have failed to make provisions for mandatory plantation within the prescribed limits. The state allegedly plans to carry out compensatory afforestation in Ropar and Hoshiarpur—80 km and 120 km away from the project site—rather than within the required 10-km range.
Environmental activists Kuldeep Singh Khaira and Dr Amandeep Singh Bains highlighted that land for tree plantation should have been factored into the land acquisition plans from the outset, as per IRC codes. They argued that landscaping and afforestation should be an integral part of the project’s design and budget. The failure to comply, they warned, could lead to increased air and noise pollution in Fatehgarh Sahib and Patiala.
During the hearing, the PWD (B and R) Department claimed that there was no available land for tree plantation. However, PAC representatives countered this argument by stating that 85% of the project’s stretch passes through agricultural land, which could be acquired for afforestation.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the NGT observed that the PWD (B and R) Department has failed to provide records of any efforts made to acquire land for afforestation. It noted that no justification has been presented explaining why land cannot be acquired to comply with the mandatory guidelines. The Punjab government has been given four weeks to file an affidavit clarifying its position on land acquisition for plantation. In the meantime, state authorities must make all possible efforts to acquire land and ensure compliance with the guidelines.
The petitioners expressed hope that the authorities would comply with the NGT’s directions before the next hearing on April 25.
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