The Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA), 1900, is a colonial-era law enacted to prevent soil erosion and regulate land use. In Haryana, it covers large protected tracts—including parts of the fragile Aravalli and Shivalik hills—restricting real estate, mining, and non-forest activities to safeguard the region’s ecology.
https://haryanaforest.gov.in/plpa-area
Key Aspects of the PLPA in Haryana
- Core Purpose: Stop soil erosion and preserve natural vegetation from water and wind.
- Notified Regions: Applied across vulnerable terrain in districts like Gurugram, Faridabad, Panchkula, and Mewat.
- Government Powers: Sections 4 and 5 empower authorities to prohibit tree-felling, land leveling, and commercial construction
- https://haryanaforest.gov.in/punjab-land-preservation-act/
https://www.heritagevillageresorts.com/
Encroachments have taken place in these protected areas and many demolitions have taken place and the recent case of encroachments flagged in the Biodiversity Park.
Leopard Trail & Gairatpur Bas
Behrampur & Raisina Hills
BioDiversity Park
Environmental Concerns & Legal Stance
- Ecological Impact: Unauthorised structures fragment vital wildlife corridors and disrupt natural groundwater recharge mechanisms.
- Regulatory Framework: Backed by strict orders from the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal (NGT), state bodies continue periodic identification and clearance of hundreds of illegal farmhouses and commercial layouts spanning the Gurugram-Sohna belt – https://www.abcbuildcon.in/insights/gurugram-aravali-land-cleared-illegal-encroachments
https://tcpharyana.gov.in/Development_Plan/Gurgaon/Gurgaon/FDP_2031/FDP_2031_GMUC.pdf
https://www.indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/8884/1/plpa_1900_.pdf
https://haryanarera.gov.in/project/view_uploaded_Document_open/26d98a5727MTM0MTY=
https://www.abcbuildcon.in/insights/haryana-plpa-existing-built-up-survey
