Environmentalists have flagged multiple cases of reckless felling and uprooting of mature and heritage trees — often without mandatory approvals — to make way for development projects
18 June, 2026 – Bathinda : At a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign is encouraging people across the country to plant saplings and strengthen environmental conservation efforts, Punjab’s environmental governance has come under sharp scrutiny.
Environmentalists have flagged multiple cases of reckless felling and uprooting of mature and heritage trees — often without mandatory approvals — to make way for development projects.
Ironically, the state is yet to enact strict legislation for the protection of trees in urban areas outside notified forests, though a penalty in the form of environmental compensation has been proposed for violators.
aking cognisance of the green concern, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has imposed a strict state-wide ban on the cutting or uprooting of any trees without explicit prior judicial permission. In a recent order, the court also granted an interim stay on the felling of 3,000-5,000 mature trees proposed for the Zirakpur-Panchkula bypass project.
Recently, the issue has come into sharp focus in Barnala, where the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken serious note of allegations regarding illegal felling of 140 mature trees — including neem, banyan, peepal, mulberry, teak, kikar and jand — near Phawara Chowk using heavy machinery, causing significant environmental damage. Acting on a petition filed by environmental activist Gurpreet Singh Kahneke, the NGT directed the registration of an FIR against officials of the Barnala Improvement Trust over the alleged uprooting of trees
Another case under scrutiny is the alleged illegal cutting of a nearly 100-year-old neem tree in Barnala’s PUDA Market, where no legal proceedings have been initiated despite official communications.
The concern is not limited to Barnala. Environmental activists have also alleged that hundreds of trees were cut along the Dhaula-Dhurkot road ahead of a proposed road construction project.
In Faridkot, a proposal to cut 784 mature trees at the premises of the defunct Faridkot Cooperative Sugar Mill to develop an industrial park on a 137-acre site has triggered widespread protests by residents, farmer unions and environmental groups.
In February this year, a century-old banyan tree and several fruit-bearing trees were illegally felled at the post office building in Nangal. The trees, estimated to be over 50 years old and located on Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) land, were cut in violation of the High Court’s ban, sparking outrage among locals and activists.
In Malout town of Muktsar district, environmental and social organisations recently raised objections after some trees planted in 2019 were allegedly uprooted to make way for a volleyball court. These trees had been nurtured by local residents for years and had become an important part of the area’s green cover.
Jaskirat Singh from Public Action Committee, an NGO fighting for environmental issues, says the tree loss is particularly concerning in Punjab, which has one of the lowest forest covers in the country.
Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh in reply to a query by AAP Rajya Sabha member and environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal in July last year had stated that India’s total forest area stands at 8,27,357.95 sq km (25.17 per cent of the country’s geographical area of 32,87,468.88 sq km). In contrast, Punjab’s forest cover stands at just 6.59 per cent — the lowest among all states.
Environmentalists emphasise that while planting new saplings is important, protecting old and mature trees is equally crucial. With several cases pending before courts and tribunals, the coming months will be critical in determining how effectively Punjab balances development with environmental protection. These are not mere statistics, but a clear warning for the future.
The Tribune