GURUGRAM: Residents of Kot village in Faridabad have approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court regarding a new land consolidation plan. Their main concern is that the plan may deprive plots of access roads, leading farmers to resort to distress sales. This action follows the government’s recent withdrawal of an existing scheme, replaced by a new notification just three days later in October 2025.
Yash Pal, the Director of Consolidation of Holdings, explained that the previous consolidation scheme for Kot was revoked because its conditions were deemed “not suitable or practical” and contradicted the Consolidation Act. Consequently, land was removed from consolidation “with immediate effect.” Within three days, a new notification was issued under Section 14 of the East Punjab Holdings (Consolidation and Prevention of Fragmentation) Act, restarting the consolidation process with updated conditions.
The new directive requires that “kilabandi of the entire village land shall be carried out” using a unified kanal-marla measurement system, specifically excluding “land under gair mumkin pahad” from consolidation. Kilabandi is a technical process to measure and number each land parcel, with the consolidation aiming to merge fragmented agricultural parcels for better cultivation efficiency.
Yash Pal stated to TOI, “The 2021 notification was revoked because substantial agricultural land was excluded under the previous scheme, violating the Act. While consolidation typically requires about three years, we were unable to finish due to flaws within the scheme.”
He also mentioned, “The whole village will operate under a shared measurement system, and communal land designated for schools, ponds, and other public utilities will be excluded from consolidation.” Several previously excluded agricultural parcels were in the midst of consolidated areas, hindering the completion of the process.
Residents have historically opposed land consolidation in Kot, which borders the Mangar Bani forests. They assert that the initiative is a facade for “privatizing” common village land and Aravalis, insisting that consolidation cannot advance until the shamlat land is identified and returned to the panchayat. Shamlat land is intended for communal use and cannot be privately sold.
The 2021 scheme limited consolidation in Kot to 728 bighas of private agricultural land, purposely excluding shamlat areas due to ongoing litigation. It stipulated that “gair mumkin tilla, gair mumkin nala, and gair mumkin pahad… shall retain their original shape,” confining redistribution to a small area recorded in the 1940-41 misal-haqiyat, a document outlining land ownership rights and liabilities.
The recent notification issued on October 30 modifies this framework by lifting the 1940-41 restrictions and permitting consolidation across all agricultural land, except hill land. Villagers contend that this expands the consolidation scope far beyond previous limits, with the new order now awaiting gazette publication to commence a fresh consolidation cycle.
Residents have accused the government of attempting to privatize shamlat and sensitive Aravalis. During a hearing on December 11, petitioners highlighted that significant portions of the notified area are pahar or common land that cannot be consolidated or sold. The new consolidation plan proposes dividing the village into one-acre parcels, raising fears of land becoming stranded without road access.
Environmentalists have echoed these concerns, warning that the initiative could fragment the fragile Aravali belt. The next court hearing is set for April 20.
Sarpanch Kesar Singh of Kot village criticized the Haryana government for altering the notification while a case is pending in the high court. “A case is scheduled in HC for April 20, yet instead of addressing the court, the government has proceeded to modify the notification,” he remarked.
He also claimed that the adjustments are designed to favor large private landowners. “What is occurring is not true consolidation but large-scale kilabandi of 5,095 bighas, potentially leading to the fragmentation of forested shamlat land. The new plan suggests splitting the entire village into one-acre parcels, increasing the likelihood of land being left without access. Over 400 acres in Kot are owned by Patanjali,” he asserted.
Supporting the villagers’ position, Lt Col (retd) S Oberoi said, “The consolidation process was first halted by the NGT in 2014, as fragmenting forest land contradicts the Forest Conservation Act, leading to the withdrawal of the original notification.”
The state is “pushing consolidation without recognizing that Kot predominantly consists of Aravalli terrain and communal land. If common land boundaries are not established first, the fragmentation of this delicate forest belt is unavoidable,” he added.
