Haryana tree cutting ban: Punjab and Haryana High Court halts felling across state, Zirakpur-Panchkula bypass hit

Tree cutting in Haryana: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has imposed a complete ban on the cutting of trees across Haryana, including for the proposed Zirakpur–Panchkula bypass project.

The order was issued during the hearing of a petition challenging the proposed cutting of thousands of trees for the bypass. The court ordered that, until further notice, not a single tree can be felled anywhere in the state without prior approval from the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The matter drew attention to a controversial proposal under which compensatory afforestation for trees cut in Haryana was planned nearly 300 km away in Ferozepur region of Punjab. The petitioner argued that such a move defeats the purpose of ecological balance, as the trees in the Zirakpur-Panchkula belt serve as the “lungs” of the Tricity region, and their removal would severely impact the local environment.

During the proceedings, the court came down heavily on the Haryana Government and its forest department, expressing serious concern over the state’s dwindling forest cover, reported to be among the lowest in the country. The bench termed the situation an “environmental crisis” and observed that indiscriminate interference with nature in the name of development can no longer be tolerated.

The order has effectively stalled several ongoing and proposed infrastructure projects in Haryana that involve tree cutting. The court also issued strict directions to the authorities concerned to submit a comprehensive report outlining how they plan to maintain a balance between development and environmental conservation.