Mohali, Sept. 26 -- Residents of five Kandi-area villages have petitioned the Prime Minister, Punjab chief minister and chief justice of the Punjab and Haryana high court, seeking that land they say was delisted from the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA) be recognised as agricultural land and released from the continuing restrictions imposed by the forest department.

The petition was submitted by the panchayats of the Kandi belt, including Gurha, Kasauli, Jayanti Majri, Bhaghindi and Karaundewal. They say the dispute has left villagers caught between revenue records showing their agricultural rights and restrictions on the ground that, according to them, continue to be enforced in the name of forest protection.

Land allotment dates ba...