PAC warns Punjab govt on Shivalik housing policy issues
BATHINDA: The Public Action Committee (PAC), Mattewara, has officially asked the Punjab chief secretary to stop the proposal for regularizing ‘low-impact housing/farmhouses’ in the Shivalik–Kandi region. They argue that the policy is legally unsound, lacks scientific justification, and may violate binding Supreme Court guidelines. PAC expressed concerns about the potential threat to some of Punjab’s most fragile landscapes, including areas designated under the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA) and regions bordering the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary. The Shivalik system features unstable geology, steep slopes, and significant sediment movement, where even minimal construction could lead to slope instability. The ongoing case WP…