In a significant move aimed at safeguarding urban greenery, the Punjab government has initiated the process to enact a stringent new law to regulate the cutting of trees. The state's finance department has granted its crucial approval to a proposal from the forest and wildlife preservation department, paving the way for 'The Punjab Protection of Trees Act, 2025'.
Core Provisions of the Proposed Tree Protection Law
The draft legislation introduces a robust regulatory framework centered around a designated 'tree officer' in every jurisdiction. According to the proposal, no individual or entity will be permitted to cut any tree in an urban area without obtaining prior clearance from this officer. The only exception is for trees that are completely dead or have fallen naturally without human intervention.
To ensure ecological compensation, the law mandates a compensatory plantation rule. Any person granted permission to cut a tree will be legally bound to plant and nurture two trees in place of the axed one, preferably within the same locality. The draft allows for flexibility: if suitable land is unavailable, the tree officer may permit plantation at an alternative site or allow the applicant to deposit a monetary compensation into the state treasury, provided the reasons are documented in writing.
Scope, Exemptions, and Financial Mechanism
The proposed Act will specifically apply to trees in urban areas. It explicitly excludes trees located within forests, wildlife sanctuaries, cantonments, and campuses of paramilitary and defence agencies. Lands already notified under the Punjab Land Preservation Act, 1900, are also excluded from its purview.
Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, highlighting the draft, stated that it proposes stringent measures and heavy fines for the unauthorized felling of trees. He emphasized that the law is designed to be financially self-sustaining. "The law is designed to generate funds through penalties and fines. These funds will be strategically channelled back into urban areas specifically for greening projects, creating a self-sustaining mechanism for environmental maintenance and development across Punjab," Cheema explained.
The minister also confirmed that the forest department has assured the implementation of the Act will not impose any additional financial burden on the state exchequer. The state government retains the power to exempt additional areas or tree species from the law's provisions via official gazette notifications if deemed necessary in the public interest.
The Path Ahead for the Legislation
With the finance department's approval secured, the draft bill will now proceed through the necessary legislative channels. It is slated to be forwarded to the state cabinet for consideration and, upon clearance, will be presented in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha for enactment into law.
This legislative move is positioned as a critical step by the state government to combat environmental degradation and formalize its commitment to preserving Punjab's urban green cover. The Act aims to institutionalize a balance between development needs and ecological preservation through its permission-based and compensatory afforestation model.
