CHANDIGARH: Following the introduction of Punjab Protection of Trees Act, 2025, environmentalists have urged the government to consider the views of all stakeholders before the Act is implemented.
They are demanding provisions for granting carbon credits to tree growers, strict penalties including imprisonment for illegal tree felling, protection for heritage trees through a special law, and a rule mandating the planting of 15 trees for every tree cut.
The Punjab Government had introduced the Act to preserve green cover, ensure ecological balance, and regulate the felling and replanting of trees.
A group of environmentalists said they have already submitted a detailed document to the state government outlining how the Act should be implemented and what key provisions should be included.
In a conversation with The New Indian Express, leading environmentalist Samita Kaur said the proposed Act currently covers only urban areas. She stressed that it should be implemented across the state, including rural regions, with a focus on agroforestry in villages, which is missing from the current draft.
She also said that farmers and others who grow trees should be given carbon credits in both urban and rural areas to encourage tree planting. Giving the example of Uttar Pradesh, she said that the state government there not only grants carbon credits but also pays them in advance to motivate farmers.
Kaur said the provision of imprisonment should be there in the proposed Act as it is the only effective deterrent against tree felling. She added that simply imposing fines would not be enough to discourage people from cutting down trees. She also pointed out that Tree Acts in other states include provisions for imprisonment.
A clause for imprisonment also exists under Section 33 of the Forest Act, which can be a minimum sentence of six months and a maximum of three years.
“In the Tree Act enacted by the Maharashtra Government, under Section 21 of the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Tree Protection and Conservation Act, 1975, there is a provision for imprisonment ranging from one week to one year, in addition to a fine,” she added.
Environmentalist Dr Manjit Singh said the current provision in the proposed Act, which requires planting only two trees for every tree cut, is quite less given the rapid decline in the state's green cover. He suggested that at least 15 trees should be planted for each tree that is cut.
“This proposed act is also contradictory to the Tree Preservation Policy 2024 which mentions that for every tree axed one should plant at least five trees,’’ Singh added.
Environmentalists Col Jasjit Singh Gill (Retd) and Dr Navneet Bhullar have also demanded that the proposed Act include a special provision for the protection of heritage trees. They stressed that a special law is needed to ensure such trees are not felled.
Explaining what a heritage tree is, the environmentalists said that the main criteria for considering a tree as a heritage tree is its size, form, shape, age, colour and rarity. They also said that the aesthetic, botanical, horticultural, ecological, social, cultural and historical values should also be taken into account.
“A specimen associated with a historic person, place, event or period is also treated as a heritage tree,” they said while adding that a heritage tree can also be a tree associated with local folklore, myths, legends or traditions.
“While certain species that are relatively rare in an area, whether native or not, may also be granted special status,’’ they said.
Speaking to TNIE, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests of Punjab, Dharminder Sharma, said there is already a provision under the Indian Forest Act, 1927, allowing any state government to notify any kind of tree as a protected tree.
He added that this falls beyond the purview of the proposed Act, which is focused on protecting trees in urban areas. He also noted that the Indian Forest Act already includes provisions for imprisonment.
“As far as carbon credits are concerned, a scheme has already been implemented and Rs 45 crore has been given to farmers,” he said.
