FARMLAND TO URBAN LANDSCAPE: THE THREAT OF ILLEGAL HOUSING SOCIETIES TO AGRICULTURAL LAND AND CLIMATE STABILITY IN PUNJAB - PAKISTAN

Abstract

This paper aims to examine the escalating issues of illegal housing societies in Punjab - Pakistan and their harmful impacts on climate stability and agricultural land use. This trend represents a serious danger to agricultural lands and climate stability because large number of agricultural lands are being turned into urban developments. The study emphasizes the lack of effective regulatory framework that has allowed un-registered societies to proliferate. The research further evaluates the regulatory deficiencies of the District's Development Authorities in tackling these illegal activities and demonstrates the dramatic discrepancy between registered and unregistered housing societies through a combination of quantitative data analysis of five major districts of Punjab – Pakistan. This research promotes comprehensive policy reforms and strengthened enforcement mechanisms to conserve agricultural land and support sustainable urban growth, as the effects of unmanaged land conversion become more apparent. The results highlight the critical need for integrated land use planning that balances environmental preservation and urban growth to ensure future generations' climate resilience.

Keywords: Illegal societies, agricultural land, human security, climate stability, sustainable urban growth, land-use planning.