In a U-turn, the Punjab Government has decided to exclude areas removed from the provisions of the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA), 1900, from its Farm Stay Policy.The assurance was given before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) during a hearing on a case challenging the state government’s move to include delisted forest areas in Tourism Department’s Farm Stay Policy, 2026. The tribunal has already stayed Housing Department’s farmhouse policy.In its order, NGT noted the Punjab Government’s assurance that the Farm Stay Policy, 2026, will not cover land released or delisted under the August 26, 2011 notification, or areas protected under the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA).A bench comprising chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Dr Afroz Ahmad was hearing a batch of petitions, including Original Application No. 307 of 2026 filed by Council of Engineers. The petition challenges the policy issued by Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs on May 6 this year.Senior counsel for the state informed the tribunal that the impugned policy had not been implemented so far. He submitted that necessary amendments would be carried out for clarification, and that land falling under the 2011 notification as well as PLPA land would stand excluded from the policy’s ambit.The counsel further stated that an affidavit to this effect, along with the amended policy, would be placed on record within six weeks.Taking the statement on record, the tribunal directed that the interim orders already operating in the connected matters would continue till the next date of hearing. The matters have been listed for September 18.The batch of cases also includes petitions highlighting concerns over construction activity on the Chandigarh periphery and related environmental issues raised by the Punjab forest department.