📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Harvinder Chandigarh
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Punjab High Court Halts Tree‑Felling Law, Saves 251 Mature Trees
✍️ Amar Ujala · Punjab
🗓 03 Nov 2026, 09:38 PM
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The Punjab High Court on Oct 31 warned that a new fee‑based tree‑cutting rule could damage the state's environment, leading to a stay on the law and protection for 251 old trees.
The Punjab High Court expressed serious concern on 31 October about provisions in a recently introduced law that allow tree felling in exchange for a fee. The court warned that such a mechanism could lead to widespread environmental degradation across the state.
In response, the court ordered an immediate stay on the implementation of the law, effectively preventing the removal of trees under the fee‑based scheme. As a direct outcome, 251 mature trees that were slated for cutting have been saved.
Legal experts noted that the decision underscores the judiciary's role in safeguarding natural resources and may prompt the state government to revisit its forestry policies. The government has yet to comment on the court's directive.
Environmental groups welcomed the ruling, calling it a necessary step to protect Punjab's dwindling green cover. The case highlights growing tensions between development initiatives and ecological preservation in the region.
In response, the court ordered an immediate stay on the implementation of the law, effectively preventing the removal of trees under the fee‑based scheme. As a direct outcome, 251 mature trees that were slated for cutting have been saved.
Legal experts noted that the decision underscores the judiciary's role in safeguarding natural resources and may prompt the state government to revisit its forestry policies. The government has yet to comment on the court's directive.
Environmental groups welcomed the ruling, calling it a necessary step to protect Punjab's dwindling green cover. The case highlights growing tensions between development initiatives and ecological preservation in the region.