Ludhiana: Punjab’s first comprehensive tree census has mapped 2,00,000 trees across 46 municipal wards in Ludhiana, revealing a predominantly young canopy and flagging widespread illegal felling with nearly 33,000 mechanically cut trees.Ordered by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) following local activist petitions against the concretisation of green spaces, the survey covers Wards 31 to 73, along with Wards 91, 92, and 93. Out of the total surveyed population, 82.6% of trees are under 20 years old, and 94% have a trunk girth under 50 cm. The 11–20 years age bracket forms the largest group with 58,916 trees, followed by 55,334 trees in the 6–10 years category and 51,008 saplings aged 1–5 years. In contrast, old-growth specimens are rare, with only 2,147 trees aged 41–50 years and a mere 993 trees above 50 years. Canopy height data indicates a mid-tier distribution, with 1,03,369 trees standing between 11 and 20 metres tall.While 1.65 lakh trees were classified as healthy, the report highlighted 32,876 mechanically cut trees as evidence of illegal felling. Additionally, the data flagged 1,394 dead trees, 39 dangerous, 38 diseased, and 31 uprooted specimens requiring municipal attention.Green cover distribution varies sharply across the city. Ward 58 leads with 18,424 trees, followed by Ward 55 (18,157) and Ward 59 (16,377). Conversely, Ward 32 is virtually barren with just 325 trees, while Ward 44 recorded only 738.The census identified 176 species, led by Ficus Benjamina (pukar) at 27,488 and Ashoka at 23,413, alongside bakain (10,818), neem (8,373), and mango (4,218). Among 700 recognised heritage trees, 379 are peepal and 177 are banyan.Municipal corporation commissioner Ojasvi Alankar said, “The survey is done and we have the figure of 46 wards, and we will get more areas covered. It will help the civic body to plan plantation in barren areas or find out measures to save the trees from felling.”
