Grave Concern Raised Over Site Selection for Medical College in Sangrur's Protected Orchard
Woman Environmentalist Appeals to Punjab Chief Secretary for Immediate Intervention
Zinnia Balli
Chandigarh/Sangrur, April 25,2025 : In a strongly worded representation addressed to Punjab Chief Secretary K.A.P. Sinha, IAS, residents of Sangrur have expressed serious concern over the proposed construction of a Government Medical College on a protected orchard in Kheri village. Terming the move as ecologically disastrous and legally questionable, the signatories have urged the state government to immediately stay all activities on the site and re-evaluate alternative locations.
The letter, submitted by prominent resident and Enviromentalist Jasinder Sekhon, outlines several critical objections to the project:
A Living Orchard at Risk:
The chosen site encompasses 20 acres of a 40-acre government orchard managed by the Department of Horticulture. It houses over 1,700 trees, including heritage mango groves over 60 years old, and species such as jamun, amla, peach, and kathal. The orchard also supports rich biodiversity, including the Indian peafowl—a Schedule I species under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
Violation of Norms and Ecological Insensitivity:
The residents stress that they are not opposed to the establishment of a medical college but object to its construction at the cost of one of the district’s last remaining green belts. "That such destruction is being planned in an ecologically vulnerable district like Sangrur is deeply unfortunate," the letter states.
Lack of Due Process:
It is alleged that the land transfer from the Revenue Department to the Department of Medical Education took place without public consultation, environmental assessment, or proper inter-departmental coordination—an act described as administrative haste and disregard for due diligence.
Regulatory and Legal Non-Compliance:
The proposal violates infrastructure norms stipulated for medical colleges, which mandate a unitary campus. The letter notes that the proposed college site is 16 km away from the associated hospital at Mastuanna Sahib, rendering the plan non-compliant. Enclosed documentation includes the 15.07.2009 Gazette of India notification to support this claim.
Risk of Contempt and Legal Fallout:
The representation references recent orders by the Punjab & Haryana High Court and the Supreme Court of India restraining the felling of mature trees, warning that proceeding with the current plan may expose senior officials to judicial scrutiny and potential contempt.
Precedent of Environmentally Responsible Governance:
Highlighting a recent instance where the Horticulture Department moved the proposed Centre of Excellence for Onions away from Kheri to protect the orchard, the signatories argue that this precedent should not be undermined.
A Vision in Honour of Sant Attar Singh Ji:
Emphasizing that the hospital is to be named after Sant Attar Singh Ji of Mastuana Sahib, the letter urges the government to align the college project with his legacy by situating both institutions nearby—echoing his vision of educational excellence for the region.
Enclosures and Prayer:
The letter is accompanied by judicial orders, regulatory guidelines, maps, and photographs of the orchard. The residents have requested three urgent actions:
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Immediate stay on activity at the Kheri site pending legal and environmental review.
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Reevaluation of alternative sites, particularly near Mastuanna Sahib.
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Protection of the Kheri orchard as a vital ecological and public heritage site.
“Let us be remembered not for what we destroyed in haste, but for what we chose to preserve with wisdom,” the representation concludes.