Ludhiana: Tree axed in Sarabha Nagar, FIR sought

The incident, which occurred near the civic body’s own premises, has triggered calls for accountability and stricter enforcement; according to the activists, they immediately reported the matter to the civic body, but like previous cases, officials only gave verbal assurances

A shopkeeper in Sarabha Nagar has been accused of cutting down a tree illegally, drawing sharp criticism from environmentalists and residents alike. Activists have accused the Municipal Corporation (MC) of turning a blind eye to repeated violations and failing to take any meaningful action.

MC horticulture branch junior engineer Kripal Singh confirmed that a complaint had been received. (HT Photo)

The incident, which occurred near the civic body’s own premises, has triggered calls for accountability and stricter enforcement. According to the activists, they immediately reported the matter to the civic body, but like previous cases, officials only gave verbal assurances.

An activist, Kapil Arora, said, “Every time we complain, we’re told that an FIR will be lodged — but no one has ever been punished. If no FIR is registered by Tuesday, we will stage a peaceful protest outside the shop from Wednesday.”

He further criticised the absence of a tree census in the city, which he believes enables such illegal acts to go unchecked. “Without any official record of trees, people are freely chopping them down in front of their houses or shops. We’ve submitted multiple complaints to the MC, but no strict action has followed,” he added.

Echoing the concerns, fellow activist Jaskirat Singh questioned the silence of the authorities, especially during monsoon — a season typically associated with tree plantation drives. “Instead of planting, we’re witnessing tree cutting. This happened just metres away from the MC office,” he said, adding that another tree in BRS Nagar is at risk of being chopped after excessive pruning.

Responding to the controversy, MC horticulture branch junior engineer Kripal Singh confirmed that a complaint had been received. “We have directed staff to file a report with the police station for FIR registration,” he said.