Punjab Govt mulls expanding eco-sensitive zone around Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary; Nayagaon residents worried
Accompanied by several local councillors, BJP leader Vineet Joshi urges govt to reconsider decision, citing potential hardships for residents
PTC Web Desk: The Punjab Government is considering extending the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary from the current 100 metre to a distance of one to three km. A proposal in this regard is expected to be tabled in the upcoming Cabinet meeting. If implemented, the move could spell trouble for properties such as houses, shops, hospitals, and religious places located in villages like Kansal, Karoran, and Nada, which fall under Nayagaon Municipal Council in Mohali. These structures may even face demolition.
This claim was made by senior Punjab BJP leader Vineet Joshi during a press conference at Press Club in Chandigarh. Accompanied by several local councillors, Vineet Joshi urged the government to reconsider the decision, citing potential hardships for residents.
Joshi stated that the proposal contradicted a decade-old policy that restricted the ESZ to 100 metre around the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary. The state’s Forest and Wildlife Preservation Department is now seeking to expand the ESZ to three km, a move Joshi described as inappropriate and detrimental to residents.
Highlighting the history of the area, Joshi explained that many people unable to afford homes in Chandigarh began purchasing small plots from farmers in Kansal and Nayagaon as early as 1980. Over time, similar settlements developed in Karoran and Nada.
In response to the growing population and unregulated construction, the Punjab Government established a municipal body for Nayagaon in 2006, which was upgraded to a Municipal Council in 2016. A master plan, zonal plan, and building bylaws were subsequently notified, allowing residents to legally construct homes, shops, hospitals, and other facilities after obtaining government approvals.
Joshi said the government must account for these developments and ensure that any decision regarding the ESZ does not adversely impact law-abiding citizens who built properties in accordance with existing rules and regulations.