High Court Imposes Blanket Ban On Tree Felling In Haryana, Cites Impending Ecological Catastrophe Due To Dismal Forest Cover

"Functionaries of the State of Haryana are neither serious nor they seem conscious of the impending ecological catastrophe." Punjab and Haryana High Court, in a significant ruling , imposed a sweeping interim prohibition on the cutting of any tree across the State of Haryana without its express permission, while dealing with a public interest litigation over the proposed felling of 5,000 trees for the Zirakpur–Panchkula bypass.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry observed that the gross inactivity of the authorities required "drastic remedial measures" by the court to protect the state's critically depleted green cover.

The petitioners approached the High Court through a public interest litigation challenging the massive environmental clearance proposed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The authorities had planned to fell approximately 5,000 trees to facilitate the construction of the new Zirakpur–Panchkula bypass. Highlighting the severe ecological impact of the highway project, the petitioners relied upon the Indian State Forest Report 2023 to demonstrate the already dismal state of greenery in the region.

The primary question before the court was whether the ecological cost of felling 5,000 trees for a highway project could be permitted without an adequate, pre-planned compensatory afforestation strategy in the immediate vicinity. The court was also called upon to determine whether the NHAI had sufficiently explored and applied its mind to alternative route alignments to prevent this large-scale environmental destruction.

Court Queries NHAI On Compensatory Afforestation

During the hearing, the bench put a pointed query to the counsel representing the NHAI regarding the ecological mitigation strategy for the infrastructure project. The court specifically asked whether the States of Punjab and Haryana were ready and willing to provide public land in close vicinity for afforestation in lieu of the 5,000 trees proposed to be sacrificed. The court noted that the NHAI's counsel had no answer to the query and merely prayed for time to seek further instructions.

NHAI Directed To Submit Alternative Route Proposals

Emphasising the necessity of exploring less destructive infrastructure options, the court demanded total transparency regarding the project's planning phase. The bench directed the NHAI to submit all re-alignment proposals that were originally placed before it by its technical team. The judges explicitly stated that this was required to enable the court to examine whether mind was applied to contemplating an alternative site for the construction of the proposed bypass.

State Apathy Toward Impending Ecological Crisis

Taking note of the submissions by the petitioners' senior counsel, the court strongly condemned the state's approach toward environmental preservation. The bench noted that as per the Indian State Forest Report 2023, the forest cover in Haryana currently stands at a critically low 3.65 percent of its total geographical area. The judges expressed grave concern over the lack of seriousness shown by government functionaries regarding this rapidly deteriorating environmental landscape.

"In view of above, inactivity of the respondents requires drastic remedial measures by this Court."

"Accordingly, this Court prohibits the cutting of any tree of any age/specie in the State of Haryana... without permission of this Court, till the next date of hearing."

Blanket Ban On Tree Felling Across Haryana

Concluding that urgent and absolute intervention was necessary, the high court passed sweeping interim directions to protect the state's remaining flora. The bench ordered a strict, state-wide prohibition on deforestation until further judicial review. The court categorically held that it prohibits the cutting of any tree of any age or species in Haryana, expressly including the 5,000 trees marked for the Zirakpur–Panchkula bypass project, without prior permission from the bench.

The court concluded the hearing by recording a formal assurance given by the NHAI counsel that no tree will be cut for the construction of the proposed bypass until further orders are passed by the bench. The interim stay on all tree felling remains in full effect as the matter has been listed for further hearing on April 17, 2026.

Date of Decision: 01 April 2026