Court stays cutting of trees near YPS Chowk in Mohali

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has stayed cutting of heritage mangoes trees in Sector 62, near YPS Chowk, Mohali.

A Bench of Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice and Justice Sanjiv Berry of the High Court passed an order, while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Mohali resident Balwinder Singh through senior advocate Gursharan Kaur Maan, along with advocates Anmol Jeevan Singh Gill, Pia M Bhargava and Gursewak Singh.

In the PIL, the petitioner stated that he was president of the Front Against Atrocities and Corruption in Punjab and was seeking protection of fully grown heritage mango trees situated on approximately 13.14 acres in Sector 62, near YPS Chowk, Mohali. The trees, historically associated with revered Gurdwara Shri Amb Sahib, form part of the last surviving remnants of the region once known as Amba Wala Desh.

A private real estate company, acting through its subsidiary Casper Reality Pvt Ltd, acquired 13.14 acres near YPS Chowk and commenced construction activities. The firm was allegedly cutting these trees, while raising boundary walls on the acquired land.

In history, the entire area was known as Amba Wala Desh due to multiple mango tree gardens here. With the passage of time, maximum gardens vanished due to development. All locals, whose birth place was Mohali, had seen these trees growing with each passing day.

Despite petitioner’s representations on February 6, 2025, and several subsequent complaints, no concrete preventive action was taken by the authorities concerned. The record shows that even in 2016, the District Magistrate, SAS Nagar, had passed a public interest order prohibiting the cutting of these trees, acknowledging their historical and environmental importance.

Pursuant to the petitioner’s complaint, the Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests issued a communication dated February 17, 2025, ordering an inquiry and submission of report within one month, but no effective steps were taken and the cutting of trees continued unabated.

The inaction of the authorities violated the constitutional mandate under Articles 14 and 21, which includes the right to a clean and healthy environment. Since the matter involved irreversible environmental damage and destruction of heritage trees, and no alternative efficacious remedy existed, the petitioner approached the High Court in a larger public interest to protect these fully grown trees and restrain the respondent company from committing further illegal acts.

The petitioner stated that companies were violating every law and regulations related to the environment, real estate and construction. The petitioner prayed for issuing direction to the state to take immediate steps to protect fully grown trees duly numbered by the Forest Department.

He also prayed for issuing a writ for directing official respondents to ensure right to healthy environment, under Article 21 of the Constitution which was being compromised by the respondent No. 6 of the company. After hearing arguments, the Bench adjourned hearing of the case till December 3, 2025, and further directed that no mango trees would be cut.