PPCB Submits Report on Illegal Mining; Massive Sinkhole in Ludhiana

August

2026

The Panjab government passed the Punjab Protection of Trees Bill, 2026, on 10 Aug. The Bill, pending the Panjab Governor's approval, regulates felling of trees in urban and other non-forest areas, and enforces a mandatory 10-to-1 replantation rule, which means anyone who cuts one tree must plant ten trees. The Bill mandates fines for first, second, and third offenses at USD 100, USD 350, and USD 500 respectively. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema informed the Legislative Assembly, 'The total area under forest and tree cover of Panjab is 5.9% and the government has set a target to enhance it to 7.5% by 2030.' However, according to the ‘India State of Forest Report’, Panjab's actual physical forest cover stands at 1,846 sq kms, which accounts for just 3.7% of the state's geographical area—significantly lower than the national average. Though the recorded forest area is legally higher at 3,084 sq kms or 6.12%, this includes a separate tree cover (trees outside recorded forests) spanning around 1,465 sq kms. Three districts—Hoshiarpur, Rupnagar, and Pathankot—account for 63% of total trees. Meanwhile, in a status report filed by Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) before the National Green Tribunal on illegal sand mining, PPCB said it inspected 153 of the district’s 171 operational stone crushers. Of these, 71 units were found non-compliant with environmental norms, 55 were partially compliant, and the rest were found to be fully compliant with prescribed norms. The PPCB said show-cause notices under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 have been issued to all 71 non-compliant units, while advisory notices have been served on the 55 partially compliant units, directing them to rectify deficiencies. Concurrently, a large portion of a road caved in at Kitchlu Nagar, Ludhiana leaving behind a gaping sinkhole that exposed underground sewerage and pipelines. In June, a large cave-in had occurred near Saggu Chowk, nearly 2 km from this spot. The sinkhole, believed to be due to the city’s aging underground sewerage network and unregulated digging by private cable companies, has prompted the Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain and Mayor Inderjit Kaur to direct the Municipal Corporation officials to identify the cable companies responsible for digging in the area (earlier coverage).