Slums, farm houses, training centres and temporary constructions have encroached about 25 acres of Aravallis, set aside for plantation. The encroachment came to fore in the report of the recent survey conducted by the Forest Department.

The department has identified the illegal constructions and also started issuing notices to officials concerned. From next week, the Forest Department will start the process of removing the illegal constructions from the Aravalli land. Prior to this, similar encroachments were reported on 225 acres, falling under the Punjab Land Conservation Act (PLPA).

The Aravalli land passes through 40 villages of the district. The PLPA covers 6,800 hectares and the Aravalli plantation covers more than 8,000 hectares. The department is studying the report of the drone survey, following which the exact parameters of the illegally occupied land will be demarcated and freed. The Forest Department has so far issued more than 20 notices regarding illegal constructions on the land of the Aravalli plantation, where people have made temporary structures.