NGT asks Haryana chief secretary to explain steps on Tree Preservation Act

The tribunal sought details within two weeks after questioning regulation of tree felling on private land and Haryana’s compliance with earlier interim orders.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has asked the chief secretary of Haryana to file an affidavit disclosing the decisions and steps taken towards enactment of the Haryana Tree Preservation Act, 2026, to regulate tree felling in non-forest areas of the state.

NGT asks Haryana chief secretary to explain steps on Tree Preservation Act

The direction came during a hearing on alleged large-scale tree felling and arbitrary compensatory plantations in Gurugram between November 2024 and November 2025. The tribunal questioned the lack of a mechanism to regulate tree felling on private land not covered under the Punjab Land Preservation Act.

“Your authorities are not listening to the needs of the environment. Either project proponents are too strong or authorities are weak. Your conduct is affecting the national capital region,” NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava remarked.

Expert member Dr Afroz Ahmad questioned the state’s reliance on individual farmers and private land owners for compensatory plantations. “There is no guarantee farmers will keep those plantations after five years once they mature into fully grown trees,” he observed.

During the previous hearing in April, the tribunal had directed Surender Dangi, DFO of Gurugram, to remain present after a status report on compensatory plantations failed to provide geographical coordinates, video recording, serial-wise numbering and survival rates.

Dangi said the department conducts periodic inspections of compensatory afforestation sites. “Based on previous directions of NGT, the department has collected site-wise geo-tagged video recordings of plantations. Notices have been issued to applicant agencies who took permissions for felling of more than 10 trees and have not carried out compensatory plantations,” he told the tribunal.

The tribunal also noted that Haryana had not fully complied with interim regulatory orders in Sukhbir Singh vs Union of India.

The state counsel produced a memo dated August 10 stating that a meeting on the proposed Act was rescheduled from August 4 to August 12. The tribunal directed the chief secretary to file the affidavit within two weeks and listed the matter for October 30. The state counsel added that the state was relying on guidelines framed under the interim protection mechanism ordered in September 2025.