The North News
Chandigarh, December 3
Punjab’s Finance Department has approved a proposal to draft a new law aimed at strengthening tree protection across the state, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said on Wednesday. The legislation, titled The Punjab Protection of Trees Act, 2025, is intended to bolster urban greening and curb environmental degradation. Cheema said the draft law includes strict measures and substantial penalties for unauthorised tree felling, signalling what he described as a firm legislative commitment to conservation. He noted that the Forest and Wildlife Preservation Department had confirmed the Act would not add any financial burden to the state budget.
According to the minister, the Bill proposes a self-sustaining model in which funds collected through fines and penalties will be reinvested into urban greening initiatives, supporting environmental upkeep and development across Punjab.
Cheema said the approval reflects the state government’s resolve, under Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, to introduce effective legislation on environmental protection. The draft law will now move through the formal legislative process before being placed before the Cabinet and the Assembly.
