Chandigarh, July 24 -- The Punjab and Haryana high court has stayed construction and development activity in 16 villages falling in Mohali district's New Chandigarh, located in the Shivalik foothills and home to a large number of farmhouses.

The high court bench of acting chief justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and justice Rohit Kapoor also directed the government to ensure demarcation of forest land in the areas adjoining these villages as directed by the Supreme Court in 2014.

"No further transfer or alienation of land by any mode, including general power of attorney/power of attorney, etc., shall be permitted in the said village(s), as we have serious doubts regarding the credibility of the revenue entries in view of the serious allegatio...