• Source:JND
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Following the example of Delhi, Haryana has mandated that permission from the Forest Department is now required for cutting trees across the state. Unauthorised tree felling will attract fines under the Forest Conservation Act, a move aimed at protecting greenery and curbing indiscriminate deforestation.

Reports indicate that before this measure, the enforcement of Section 4 of the Punjab Land Preservation Act was limited, allowing tree cutting in many areas without oversight. Complaints from residents often went unaddressed due to a lack of regulatory enforcement.

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The change comes after Sukhbir Singh, a resident of Rohtak, filed a petition with the National Green Tribunal (NGT) regarding rampant tree felling in Haryana. On September 9, the tribunal ruled that cutting trees anywhere in the state now requires prior approval from the Forest Department.

The Forest Department has already implemented these provisions in the districts under the Gurugram division, including Gurugram, Faridabad, Palwal, Nuh, Rewari, and Mahendragarh. Previously, only certain areas covered under Section 4 required permission, leaving regions like Manesar and Farrukhnagar outside regulatory control.

However, the rule does not affect farmers harvesting up to seven specific tree species, eucalyptus, poplar, neem, bakayan, bamboo, guava, and mulberry, for agroforestry purposes, which can continue without prior approval.

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Professor KK Yadav, president of the Krishna Aravali Foundation and retired chief town planner, emphasised the importance of tree conservation. “To improve the environment, we must protect existing trees alongside planting new ones. If serious action is not taken, future air quality and public health will suffer,” he said.