Despite efforts, Punjab’s green cover shrinking

Despite successive government’s having made claims of large-scale tree plantations over the decades, Punjab’s greenery continues to dwindle. If media reports are to be believed, the number of saplings planted by government and non-government organisations has crossed tens of lakhs, yet this region doesn’t have any forest cover to boast of.

Poor survival rate of the planted saplings, the absence of strict legislation against illegal tree felling and the failure of civic bodies to maintain accurate data on tree cover, have all contributed to the rapid loss of Punjab’s green spaces. Reckless tree felling under the guise of development and modernisation, coupled with waning enthusiasm among environmentalists, has pushed the region toward incipient desertification.

Recognising the urgency of the situation, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken note of Punjab’s fast-depleting green cover. Punjab Chief Secretary KAP Sinha recently acknowledged the state’s responsibility to safeguard trees on all kinds of land.

During a hearing on a complaint about illegal tree cutting in a residential colony in Jalandhar, an NGT Bench comprising Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Dr A Senthil Vel directed the Punjab Chief Secretary to address shortcomings in the state’s tree preservation policies, particularly regarding private land. The Tribunal examined the Tree Preservation Policy for Non-Forest Government and Public Land, 2024, and observed that it failed to protect trees on private property.

Appearing virtually before the tribunal, a senior government official admitted that Punjab lacked a strong legal framework to deter and penalise tree felling. He also conceded that municipal bodies did not maintain proper records of tree cover under their jurisdiction.

Environmentalists argue that community-led social forestry initiatives could have compensated for the inevitable loss of trees once found along roadsides, canal banks and public lands.

“People fail to recognise the crucial role trees play in sustaining life,” said environmentalist Rajan Sharma. “Rather than ensuring saplings survive in protected areas, many organise media-centric events that focus on distribution rather than conservation.”

Karamjit Singh, a forest department official, lamented that self-styled environmentalists have squandered lakhs of saplings under the pretence of hosting Van Maha Utsavs while seeking public attention.

“Governments have provided free saplings for years, yet many end up being handed out to disinterested guests at social functions rather than planted with care,” Singh said. He recalled distributing lakhs of saplings during his tenure at Jandali Nursery under various plantation schemes.

Meanwhile, District Forest Officer Monika Yadav declined to comment on the issue or on plans to improve forest cover in the region.

Sources reveal that religious groups, social organisations, medical institutions and corporate entities under CSR projects have collectively claimed to plant tens of millions of saplings across the state. However, the disparity between plantations on paper and actual tree cover calls for urgent measures to ensure survival and sustainability.