Chandigarh: The Punjab government is preparing to introduce a new farmhouse policy for the environmentally fragile Kandi region along the lower Shivalik Hills, spanning from Mohali to Pathankot.

The proposal, aimed at regularising existing farmhouses and guiding future development, is expected to be tabled in the state cabinet meeting on Friday.

Policy to Benefit Influential Landowners

The policy will specifically cover land recently excluded from the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA), 1900. This move is likely to benefit several high-profile individuals—politicians, ex-bureaucrats, and businessmen—who already own land or have constructed farmhouses near Chandigarh’s periphery.

With the policy allowing construction of farmhouses on plots as small as 4,000 sq yards (about one acre), land prices in the region have surged in anticipation.

Forest Officials Raise Environmental Concerns

Forest department officials have cautioned that the policy must comply with Supreme Court-mandated safeguards to prevent ecological damage. Much of the land falls in proposed eco-sensitive zones around Sukhna Lake and under the purview of the Periphery Act, making any construction sensitive to legal and environmental scrutiny.

Departments such as Housing and Forest are reportedly not aligned on certain provisions, especially regarding areas currently protected or under review for eco-sensitive status.

Pressure From Powerful Lobby

According to officials, the state government has been facing sustained pressure from a strong lobby of VIP landowners seeking regularisation of their farmhouses. Without a formal policy, many existing structures have faced demolition notices for violating housing regulations.

A committee headed by Housing Secretary Vikas Garg was earlier formed to draft guidelines, following directions from Chief Secretary K.A.P. Sinha. However, progress has been slow due to overlapping laws and environmental restrictions.

Rejections and Past Guidelines

The push for policy gained momentum after the Eco-Tourism Development Committee recently rejected nearly 90 applications for regularisation, saying the buildings violated existing norms.

Though the state had authorised Housing and Local Government departments in 2010 to issue guidelines for delisted PLPA land, it mandated that the land remain strictly for agricultural and livelihood purposes—explicitly banning commercial activity.

What Lies Ahead

As the cabinet prepares to review the proposal, the government must strike a balance between developmental demands and ecological protection. The final shape of the policy—and whether it satisfies both powerful landowners and environmental safeguards—remains to be seen.