Report No. 138

Legislation Relating to Slums

13. The Punjab Act.-

The Punjab Slum Areas (Improvement and Clearance Act (24 of 1961) provides for the following important matters:-

(a) declaration of certain areas as slum areas by the competent authority under section 3;

(b) power of the competent authority to require the improvement of buildings unfit for human habitation (sections 4 and 5);

(c) power of the competent authority to order the demolition of buildings unfit for human habitation (section 7);

(d) power of the competent authority to declare any area to be a clearance area (section 9);

(e) power of the State Government to acquire land in order to enable the empowered authority to execute any work of improvement in relation to any building in a slum area or to, redevelop any clearance area under section 12;

(f) prohibition against eviction of tenants in slum areas without permission of the competent authority under section 19, subject to the exception provided by section 21 in respect of the eviction of a tenant from any building in a slum area belonging to the State Government or any local authority.