The Centre has decided that "compensatory afforestation' would be carried out in 20.028 hectares of "degraded land' in the protected forest area of Laddowal near Ludhiana. The decision was taken in a matter pertaining to the diversion of 10.014 hectares of forest land for the construction of parking lots, footpaths and service lanes on the Ludhiana-Ferozepore road. In a letter to the Punjab's Financial Commissioner-cum-Secretary Forests, Central Conservator of Forests D.K. Sharma has added that the afforestation would be carried out "at the cost of Rs 16,62,400 already deposited by the user agency'.