1016 PUNJAB GOVT. GAZ.(EXTRA), SEPTEMBER 24, 2026
(ASVN 2, 1948 SAKA)
EXTRAORDINARY
Published by Authority
CHANDIGARH, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2026
(ASVINA 2, 1948 SAKA)
LEGISLATIVE SUPPLEMENT
Contents Pages
Part - I Acts
.. 1017-1026
The Punjab Protection of Trees Act, 2026 (Punjab Act No.13 of 2026)
Part - II Ordinances
Nil
Part - III Delegated Legislation
Nil
Part - IV Correction Slips, Republications and
Replacements
Nil
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( cxv ) 1017
PUNJAB GOVT. GAZ.(EXTRA), SEPTEMBER 24, 2026
(ASVN 2, 1948 SAKA)
PART-I
GOVERNMENT OF PUNJAB
DEPARTMENT OF LEGAL AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS, PUNJAB
NOTIFICATION
The 24th September, 2026
No.15-Leg./2026.- The following Act of the Legislature of the State
of Punjab received the assent of the Governor of Punjab on the 02nd day of
September, 2026, is hereby published for general information :-
THE PUNJAB PROTECTION OF TREES ACT, 2026
(Punjab Act No.13 of 2026)
AN
ACT
to maintain green cover for ensuring ecological balance, preventing
degradation of environment and conserving the soil, it is considered necessary
to regulate the felling and replanting of trees in the State of Punjab;
Whereas to provide institutional mechanism to compensate the
environmental loss caused by the felling of trees;
Whereas the State Government after due consideration, proposes to
make an Act for betterment of the environment, conservation of soil and to
regulate tree felling in the state;
AND whereas in the circumstances referred to above, it is deemed
expedient to make "The Punjab Protection of Trees Act, 2026" for the
abovesaid purposes;
BE it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Punjab in the seventy-
seventh year of the Republic of India as follows:
1. (a) This Act may be called "The Punjab Protection of Trees Act,
2026".
Short title, extent and commencement (b) It extends to all the urban areas of Punjab as specified in the
schedule III appended of this Act or such areas notified by
State Government from time to time.
(c) It shall come into force on the date of publication in the Official
Gazette of the State Government.
2. This Act shall not apply to the exempted area and exempted trees as
specified in the schedule I and II respectively appended of this Act or such
Act not to apply to certain areas and trees areas or trees notified by State Government from time to time.
1018 PUNJAB GOVT. GAZ.(EXTRA), SEPTEMBER 24, 2026
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Definitions 3. In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the context-
(a) "Appellate authority" means an authority appointed by the
State Government for the purposes of this Act;
(b) "Damage to trees" means harming or causing an injury to
tree by use of cement- concrete, decorative lights, defacing
with materials like flex, grill, wire, nail, plastic cable or
poisoning, partial burning or by any other means;
(c) "Environmental compensation" means cost levied upon the
violator for restoration of damage caused to the environment
by application of Polluter Pay's Principle;
(d) "Exempted area" means areas included in the Schedule – I
of this Act or such areas notified by State Government from
time to time;
(e) "Exempted trees" means 'tree species' included in the
Schedule-II of this Act or such trees notified by State
Government from time to time;
(f) "Fell a tree", with its cognate expressions, means cutting,
girdling, pollarding or damaging a tree in a way so as to cause
its death/drying;
(g) "Form A" means written application for Felling/Disposing of
Tree in Non-Forest Areas in respect by a Person.
(h) "Heritage Tree" means tree which is over 100 years in age
and has some unique historical, cultural, religious values.
(i) "Prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act;
(j) "State Government" means Government of Punjab through
Department of Forest and Wildlife Preservation;
(k) "Tree" means any woody plant whose branches spring from
and are supported upon a trunk or body and whose trunk or
body is not less than 'thirty five centimeters' in girth at the
ground level;
(l) "Tree Protection Officer" means an Executive Officer in
Urban local bodies in Punjab or any other officer so notified
by the State Government;
(m) "Urban area" means an area, which is included within the
limits of a Nagar Council, Municipal Corporation, Notified 1019
PUNJAB GOVT. GAZ.(EXTRA), SEPTEMBER 24, 2026
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Area Committee, Town Area Committee, or of any Urban
Development Authority/Body mentioned in the Schedule III
of this Act;
(n) The words and expressions used in this Act and defined in
Indian Forest Act, 1927 and or other related Act(s), but not
defined in this act shall have the meaning respectively assigned
to them in those Act(s).
4. Except as provided in this Act or the rules made there under, no person
or Organisation or Agency or Government Agency shall-
Restriction on felling, removal and damage to trees (a) fell any tree standing on any urban area;
(b) cut, remove or otherwise dispose of any tree which is
completely dead or has fallen in any urban area.
(c) damage a tree standing on any urban area.
5. The Tree Protection Officer may, incase other than the area mentioned
in section 3(d) of this Act, on receipt of the application as prescribed under
Permission to fell or remove trees section 6(a) of this Act, of any owner or person entitled to fell a standing tree
or to cut, prune, remove or otherwise dispose of a fallen tree, after making
such inquiry, as it thinks fit, grant permission to him to do so;
(a) Provided that such permission shall be considered if the tree
constitutes danger to a person or property or is causing traffic
hazard;
(b) Provided further that such permission shall not be required
for the felling of exempted trees specified in Schedule-II of
this act in the urban areas;
(c) Provided also that in exigencies such as floods, storms, warlike
situation or any other natural or manmade calamities, such
immediate steps as are necessary to remove any obstruction
or nuisance or to prevent any danger to public life and/or
property such permission shall not be required for the felling
of trees.
(d) In the cases where permission of 'Tree Protection Officer'
is not required; as above sub section b and c, the concerned
agency shall inform the details of felling/ removal of such
trees to the Tree Protection Officer within 24 hours of the
same.
1020 PUNJAB GOVT. GAZ.(EXTRA), SEPTEMBER 24, 2026
(ASVN 2, 1948 SAKA)
(e) The Heritage tree shall not be cut or removed except in rarest
of rare cases due to pressing development need or grave
danger with prior permission by State Government, on
recommendation from Tree Protection Officer, to be issued
with a well reasoned order.
6. (a) Every application under Section 5 shall be in writing as per
'Form A' and shall be made in such manner and shall contain
such particulars as may be prescribed and such application
Procedure for obtaining permission to fell or remove trees
shall be accompanied by attested copies of such documents
as may be prescribed in support of ownership over the land,
the number and kind of trees to be cut, their girth measure at
a height of 1.35 metres from ground level and the reasons
there for, copy of sajra showing clearly the site and khasra
numbers of the property.
(b) The 'Tree Protection Officer' shall give her/his decision in
the case of an application in respect of tree felling within
'Thirty (30) days' from the date of receipt of such application,
and in the case of an application in respect of a "dead or
fallen tree or tree that constitute danger to a person or
property" within a maximum of 'Seven (7) days' from the
date of receipt of such application.
(c) Every permission granted under this Act shall be in such form
and subject to such reasonable conditions, as may be imposed
by the 'Tree Protection Officer'.
(d) If the 'Tree Protection Officer' fails to give his/ her decision
within the stipulated time in cases requiring 7 days time under
sub-section (b), the permission referred to in Section 5 shall
be deemed to have been granted.
(e) Any person aggrieved by the decision of the 'Tree Protection
Officer' under sub-section (b) may file an appeal within 'Thirty
(30) days' from the date of such decision, to the Appellate
Authority and the decision of appellate authority on such
appeal shall be final.
7. Every person, to whom permission has been granted under this Act to
Obligation to plant trees
fell, cut, remove or dispose of any tree, shall be bound to plant and tend 'ten 1021
PUNJAB GOVT. GAZ.(EXTRA), SEPTEMBER 24, 2026
(ASVN 2, 1948 SAKA)
(10) trees' in lieu of every tree cut/ felled as far as possible in the same area,
from where such tree has been felled, cut, removed or disposed of by him
under such permission; provided that in case of a Heritage Tree, he shall be
bound to plant and tend 'twenty five(25) trees'.
Provided that in case of constraint of land for such plantation or any
other constraints, the Tree Protection Officer may for reasons to be recorded
in writing, permit lesser number of trees to be planted, or trees to be planted in
any different area, or to deposit such sum of money in the special account of
the Tree Protection Officer as deemed appropriate for the purpose of such
plantation.
8. (a) Every person who is under an obligation to plant trees under
Section 7 shall comply with the same and report within three
months that all the conditions as stipulated in the felling
Implementation of directions given under Section 7
permission of Tree Protection Officer have been complied
with;
(b) In case of failing to do so the Tree Protection Officer may
impose a fine of 'Rupees TenThousand per tree for the first
time non-compliance, 'Rupees Thirty Five Thousand per tree
for the second time non-compliance' which further will extend
upto 'Rupees Fifty Thousand' per tree if the non-compliance
continues.
9. (a) Whoever fells or causes to be felled any standing tree, or
cuts, removes or otherwise disposes of any fallen tree, in
contravention of the provisions of Section 4 (a), (b) or
contravenes any condition of permission granted under this
Act, is liable to be imposed 'Environmental compensation' as
Penalty for felling or removal or damage of trees in contravention of Section-4
notified by the State Government from time to time and penalty
of upto 'Rupees ten thousand per tree' by the Tree Protection
Officer.
(b) Whoever causes damage to any standing tree, in contravention
of the provisions of Section 4 (c) or contravenes any condition
of permission granted under this Act, is liable to be imposed
'Environmental compensation' as notified by the State
Government from time to time and penalty of upto 'Rupees
two thousand per tree' by the Tree Protection Officer.
1022 PUNJAB GOVT. GAZ.(EXTRA), SEPTEMBER 24, 2026
(ASVN 2, 1948 SAKA)
(c) All such monies received as fine and penalty shall be deposited
in the State treasury under the appropriate heads of budget.
The sum of monies collected under the environmental
compensation shall be deposited in the special account of the
Tree Protection Officer and shall be used for the greening
activities in the respective urban local bodies.
10. The officers exercising powers or discharging any duties or functions
Officers to be public servants
under this Act shall be deemed to be public servants within the meaning of
Section 2(28) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
11. Any sum, including any amount for compounding of an offence, the
payment of which has been directed to be made by any person under this Act
Execution of order for payment of money.
shall, without prejudice to any other mode of recovery under any law for the
time being in force, be recoverable from him as an arrear of land revenue.
12. No suit or proceedings shall lie against the State Government or against
any person empowered to exercise power or to perform duties or discharge
Indemnity for acts done in good faith
functions under this Act, for anything in good faith done or purporting to be
done under this Act.
13. The State Government may in the interest of general public, declare
by notification that any class of trees shall not be felled for such period as is
specified in that notification.
Power of the State Government for preservation of trees
14. Subject to such conditions, if any, as may be imposed, the State
Government may, if it is considered necessary to do so in the public interest by
Power of State Government to exempt
notification in the Official Gazette, exempt any areas or any species of trees
by amending the respective schedules from all or any of the provisions of this
Act.
15. The provisions of the Act shall be in addition to and not in derogation
of the provisions of any other law for the time being in force prohibiting or
regulating the felling of trees.
Provisions of this Act to be in addition to any other law for the time being in force
16. The State Government may by notification can make rules to carry
Power to make rules
out the purposes of this Act.
17. For the purpose of removal of any difficulty in implementation of the
provisions of this Act or remove any ambiguity, the State Government may, by
Removal of difficulties and ambiguities 1023
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(ASVN 2, 1948 SAKA)
order publish in the official Gazette, make such provision(s) not inconsistent
with the provisions of this Act, but no order shall be made under this section
after the expiry of a period two years from the date of commencement of this
Act.
18. 'The Trees Preservation Policy for Non Forest Government and Public Repeal and savings Lands-2024' is hereby repealed.
SCHEDULE-I
EXEMPTED AREAS
[Refer Section 3 (d)]
1. Areas notified as Reserved and Protected forests under India
Forest Act,1927
2. Areas notified under Punjab Land Preservation Act-1900.
3. All Un-classed Forest in the records of Forest Department
4. All wildlife Protected Areas notified under Wildlife Protection
Act, 1972
5. Areas of Cantonment, Paramilitary and Defense forces
6. Government research plots
7. Nurseries managed by Government Departments
(And any other land notified by State Govt. from time to time)
SCHEDULE-II
EXEMPTED TREES
[Refer Section 3 (e)]
1. Bamboo (all species)
2. Burma Neem/Drek (Meliacomposita)
3. Eucalyptus (all species)
4. Poplar (all species)
5. Subabul (Leucaenaleucocephala)
(And any other species notified by State Govt from time to time) 1024
PUNJAB GOVT. GAZ. (EXTRA), SEPTE(cid:48)BER 24, 2026
(ASVN 2, 1948 SAKA)
SCHEDULE-III
URBAN AREAS
[Refer Section 3 (l)
1025
PUNJAB GOVT. GAZ.(EXTRA), SEPTEMBER 24, 2026
(ASVN 2, 1948 SAKA)
Form – (A)
Application for Felling/Disposing of Tree in Non-Forest Areas in
respect by a Person
[Refer Section 6 (a)]
1) *Name of the Applicant (In Capitals):
2) Father's /Spouse Name:
3) *Date of Application:
4) *Contact/Mobile No.:
5) *Full Postal Address/Email Id:
6) *Land Details:
I. Block/Panchayat/Municipality/Corporation/others:
II. Address/ Location of Site:
III. Area of the land:
IV. Plan/Map of the land:
V. Total No. of trees present in the land (Species & number):
7) *Details of Trees to be felled/disposed off:
| No. of Trees | Plot/ House No. | Species DBH (Cm) | Approx height. (Mtr) | Natural or planted. | Approx age. | Physical condition | |
8) *Purpose of Felling:
(To be authenticated by supporting documents in original)
9) *Particulars of previous felling of trees:
(On the same plot of land, if any)
| Plot / House No. | Date of Previous felling (DD/MM/YY) | Species | Number of Trees | References of permission from the Competent Authority |
Name of Applicant/ Authorised Officer________________
(in case of any department)
Mobile No._________________ 1026 PUNJAB GOVT. GAZ.(EXTRA), SEPTEMBER 24, 2026
(ASVN 2, 1948 SAKA)
10) [Only for application where prior permission or intimation to be
made under proviso of Section 5 (a), (b),(c)]
I. I, hereby declare that the aforesaid trees constitute
immediate danger in view of ___________(Give reasons)
and permission for their immediate felling is solicited in terms
of sub-rule (a) of rules 5 of this Act (Photographic evidence
to be submitted).
II. I, hereby declare that the felling of aforesaid trees as
exempted tree mentioned in Schedule-II of this Act has been
undertaken on _________ (DATE) in view of
_______________ (GIVE REASONS) and information
in this regard is given in terms of Sub rule (b) of rule (5) of
this Act. (Photographic evidence to be submitted)
III. I, hereby declare that the felling of aforesaid trees has been
undertaken on _________ (DATE) in view of
_______________ (GIVE REASONS) as per authorised
in terms of Sub rule (c) of rule (5) of this Act. (Photographic
evidence to be submitted)
Name of Applicant/ Authorised Officer________________
(in case of any department)
Mobile No.__________________
Address____________________
Date_______________________
Sd/-
B.B.S. TEJI,
Principal Secretary to Government of Punjab,
Department of Legal and Legislative Affairs.
3839/9-2026/Pb. Govt. Press, S.A.S. Nagar