Police arrived in Jahlan village, Patiala district, on Wednesday to facilitate acquisition of disputed land for the National Highways Authority of India’s Sirhind-Bhawanigarh bypass. Farmers alleged the acquisition was being carried out forcibly despite an ongoing ownership dispute. The attempt led to a confrontation between farmers and police.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed Punjab to file an affidavit within four weeks explaining why land for compensatory afforestation cannot be acquired within 10 km of the affected area along the 22-km Sirhind-Patiala road widening project. The next hearing is scheduled for April 25.

The four-laning is expected to improve connectivity and ease congestion, but 7,392 mature trees were felled: 1,176 sheesham, 1,850 Arjun, 1,413 mulberry, 1,101 eucalyptus and 33 peepal. Petitioners Kapil Arora, Dr Amandeep Singh Bains and Jaskirat Singh of the Public Action Committee said proposed plantations in Hoshiarpur and Ropar, 80 km and 120 km away, breach NGT guidelines. They also alleged the Punjab Public Works Department failed to follow IRC SP: 21-2009 and IRC: SP: 84-2019, citing the project’s “brownfield” classification.

The PWD said nearby land was unavailable; petitioners said about 85% of the road stretch is agricultural land. The NGT said the PWD had not detailed its land-acquisition efforts and directed authorities to make all possible efforts to secure land and comply with environmental guidelines.