Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau
Proposed Tree Protection Act by Punjab Govt is incomplete, claims Vatrukh Foundation; Watch Video
Total green cover in Punjab, including forest area and tree cover, has dropped to a mere 6.59%
Harshabab Sidhu
Chandigarh, August 6, 2025: In line with directions from the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the Punjab Government is expected to introduce the Tree Protection Act–2025 in the upcoming Assembly session.
However, Vatrukh Foundation—an environment-focused organization based in Chandigarh—along with several environmentalists active in the state, has termed the proposed act incomplete.
Speaking at a press conference held at the Chandigarh Press Club today, prominent environmentalists raised the issue, stating that Punjab is currently facing a serious environmental crisis. They expressed deep disappointment that the proposed legislation lacks several crucial elements.
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Samita Kaur, Founder-Director of Vatrukh Foundation, stated that Punjab, once renowned for its fertile land and rich natural landscape, is now grappling with deforestation and shrinking green spaces due to rampant urbanization, industrialization, infrastructure expansion, and over-agriculture.The direct consequences include rising air pollution, declining groundwater levels, soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, and deteriorating public health.
Between 2001 and 2023, Punjab’s forest area has shrunk from 4.80% to 3.67%, and tree cover has decreased from 3.20% to 2.92%—leaving the total green cover at just 6.59%.To address this alarming situation, a robust and effective Tree Protection Act–2025 is essential.
The NGT has issued explicit directives to the Punjab government to revise weak areas of the draft, such as private land coverage, grievance redressal mechanisms, and tree census, by October 8, 2025, so that the revised bill can be presented in the Assembly in November 2025.
The press meet was attended by environmentalists and civil society members from across Punjab. Key speakers included Dr. Manjeet Singh, Col. Jasjit Singh Gill, and Engineer Kapil Arora—all prominent figures in the environmental domain.
Other attendees included Indu Arora, Swaranjeet Kaur, Gurpreet Palaha, Pallavi Kapoor, Amandeep Singh, Pavila Bali, Captain Vikram Bajwa, Alisha Bansal, and Tejveer Singh, among others.
All of them had previously submitted the draft bill to the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan, Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, Chief Secretary, and other ministers and MLAs via an email campaign during last month's monsoon session.
Environmental activist Tejaswi Minhas, who had filed a petition in the NGT, noted that while around 12 Indian states have Tree Protection Acts, Punjab lacks an appellate body or a mechanism to address complaints related to tree felling or pruning. Hence, there is an urgent need for a comprehensive act.
Engineer Kapil Arora pointed out that the proposed act does not include rural areas, even though 90% of Punjab is rural. The act appears to focus only on urban areas, with no mention of agroforestry or carbon credits. Despite persistent efforts and public demand, the act remains inadequate.
Dr. Manjeet Singh highlighted that the proposed legislation makes no mention of heritage trees, which are significant due to their age, size, rarity, cultural, or historical value.
According to environmentalists, another major inconsistency is the provision to plant only two trees for every tree cut, whereas the 2024 policy required five trees to be planted. Ideally, this number should be at least fifteen. Additionally, the proposed legislation contains no provision for imprisonment, which is a serious concern.
Col. Jasjit Singh Gill shared that he has repeatedly urged the Punjab government to conduct a time-bound tree census and geo-tagging, which is essential to ensure proper monitoring and accountability.
All speakers unanimously declared that Punjab is facing an environmental emergency, and since laws are not made every day, it is imperative that the government holds consultations with environmentalists and civil society to draft a comprehensive and effective Tree Protection Act–2025 to pull the state out of this crisis.
They also discussed the idea of launching “Langars” and “Chhabils” for trees—symbolic efforts to increase green cover in the state.