India, Sept. 5 -- Around 6,800 unauthorised structures, including farmhouses, schools and Government buildings, have come up over 780 acres of deemed forest land in Faridabad in violation of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, the Supreme Court-mandated Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has told the apex court.
In its interim report dated August 29, the committee said the land in question is notified under the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA), 1900 and spread across the villages of Ankhir, Anangpur, Lakkarpur and Mewla Maharajpur.
The land possesses "all the attributes of forest land" under the 1980 law and, therefore, cannot be used for non-forest purposes without prior approval of the central Government since October 25, 1980, it sa...