The Punjab government has introduced sweeping new regulations aimed at safeguarding ecologically significant trees and public green spaces across the province, tightening controls on tree cutting and urban development.
The Public Parks, Greenbelts and Green Areas Protection & Regulated Emergency Transplantation Regulations 2026 classify any tree with a trunk wider than 36 inches or aged 30 years or more as a heritage tree, placing it under enhanced legal protection.
Under the new framework, heritage trees cannot be cut, damaged, or disturbed unless they pose a direct safety threat or are affected by severe disease. Even then, removal will require approval from a district-level technical committee.
Each district horticulture authority will establish a committee comprising arborists, foresters, environmentalists, and botanists to assess requests related to tree removal, pruning, or transplantation.
Digital Registry and Mandatory Transplantation
Authorities will also maintain a public digital register of all heritage trees, including GPS coordinates and photographic records, to improve transparency and monitoring.
Also read: Money grows on trees in Karnataka. Here’s the proof
The regulations prioritize tree transplantation over removal. Where cutting is unavoidable, officials must plant at least 20 saplings for every tree removed. If a transplanted tree fails to survive, the requirement rises to 50 saplings per tree, using native and climate-resilient species that must be maintained for three years.
Impact Assessments and GIS Mapping
The government has made Arboricultural Impact Assessments (AIAs) mandatory for large-scale development projects that may affect existing trees. In addition, a province-wide Geographic Information System (GIS) will be developed to map and monitor urban tree cover for long-term conservation planning.
The rules also introduce strict safeguards against encroachment and commercial exploitation of public parks and green belts. Any construction or infrastructure project affecting trees will require a No Objection Certificate (NOC) following a technical review by the relevant horticulture authority.
Penalties for Violations
Violations of the regulations may result in up to one year of imprisonment, a fine of Rs500,000, or both.
Officials said the new framework is designed to ensure uniform protection of green cover across all 21 district horticulture agencies in Punjab, amid rising environmental pressures from rapid urbanization.
