Ludhiana, Feb. 11 -- The principal bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Punjab state authorities to make all possible efforts to acquire land for ensuring compliance with plantation guidelines for the Sirhind-Patiala road widening project. The tribunal has also asked the state and other respondents to submit an affidavit explaining why land cannot be acquired for compensatory afforestation within a 10-km radius of the project site.

The matter, brought before the NGT by Er Kapil Arora and Jaskirat Singh of the Public Action Committee (PAC), raised concerns over the state's failure to adhere to mandatory guidelines prescribed under the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) Codes, including IRC SP: 21-2009 (Landscaping & Planta...