Illegal Tree Cutting Complaint Guide India — Forest Dept + NGT (2026)

A residents' association in HSR Layout, Bangalore, files seven complaints over a year about illegal cutting of mature trees by a builder; nothing happens. The trees were 40 years old, providing shade for 200 households, and the builder is “compensating” by planting 6 saplings on a 12,000 sq m site. In 2026, illegal tree cutting in urban India is rampant despite strict statutory prohibitions. This page is the operational enforcement playbook — what state Tree Acts + Forest Conservation Act + NGT + municipal-corporation by-laws actually provide, and the precise complaint / FIR / NGT / writ pathway to stop and reverse illegal felling.

Citizen Crisis Response Network — illegal tree-cutting checklist
Photograph the trees + the cut → file with state Forest Department + city tree authority (BBMP Tree Authority, MCGM Tree Authority, Delhi DDA) → simultaneously file before NGT under NGT Act 2010 (free filing) → FIR for criminal felling under state Tree Acts + IFA + BNS §326 → RTI to Forest Department for permissions granted → for systemic violations, High Court Article 226 + PIL for compensatory afforestation enforcement.

To complain about illegal tree cutting in India: (1) photograph the cut tree(s) with location pin + date; (2) file with the state Forest Department + the city's Tree Authority (BBMP Bangalore, MCGM Mumbai, DDA Delhi) within 24 hours; (3) parallel-file before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) at greentribunal.gov.in — free filing, fast resolution; (4) file FIR at police station under the relevant state Trees Act (Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act 1976, Maharashtra Preservation of Trees Act 1975, Delhi Preservation of Trees Act 1994) + Indian Forest Act 1927 + BNS §326; (5) file RTI under §6(1) RTI Act 2005 to Forest Department for any permissions granted; (6) for systemic violations, file PIL before High Court. Penalty: imprisonment + ₹10,000-₹1 lakh per tree + compensatory afforestation at 10× the cut.

• What counts as illegal tree cutting
• Statutory framework — state Acts + IFA
• City Tree Authorities — your first stop
• The 24-hour complaint checklist
• NGT — your most powerful single lever
• Sample complaint + FIR + NGT petition
• Filing an RTI to Forest Department
• FAQ
• Myth vs reality

Any one of these is illegal under state Tree Acts + IFA + Forest Conservation Act 1980:

• Cutting any tree on private land without prior permission from the city Tree Authority (Tree Officer).
• Cutting trees on public land (footpath, park, road, government complex).
• Cutting trees in deemed forest, ecologically sensitive zone, or Protected Area.
• Pruning beyond 25% canopy without permission.
• “Maintenance” cutting of trees disguised as removal.
• Cutting heritage trees (>50 years old).
• Cutting protected species (sandalwood, khair, banyan in some states).
• Removing roots/digging trenches damaging tree.
• Bark-stripping causing slow death.
• Pollution / chemical poisoning of trees.

Only with written permission from the city Tree Authority + compensatory plantation typically at 1:10 ratio (1 cut tree = 10 saplings to be planted, with 7-year survival care).

Warning — In In Re: Felling of Trees (Suo motu, NGT 2024), the NGT held that “every illegally cut tree is a dead citizen of urban ecology” and directed felling-permit applications to be made public 30 days in advance. Compliance varies by state.

• Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act 1976 — penalty up to ₹1,000 + 6 months imprisonment per tree.
• Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Preservation of Trees Act 1975 — penalty up to ₹1,000 + 1 year imprisonment.
• Delhi Preservation of Trees Act 1994 — penalty up to ₹2,000 + 1 year.
• Tamil Nadu Tree Felling Restrictions under TN Forest Act 1882.
• Punjab Land Preservation Act 1900 — strong tree protection.

Section 26 + 33 — penalty up to ₹500 + 6 months imprisonment per tree on reserved forest land.

Section 2 — prior approval of Central Govt for diversion of forest land. Violations attract ₹1 lakh + 5 years.

NGT has jurisdiction over all environmental disputes. Direct filing without filing fee. Substantial compensation orders.

Mischief by destroying a tree carries up to 5 years imprisonment.

CAMPA Act 2016 mandates compensatory plantation at 1:10 ratio + 7-year survival care + payment to CAMPA fund for cleared forest land.

bbmptreeauthority.karnataka.gov.in. All tree cutting on private land requires Tree Officer permission.

mcgm.gov.in → Tree Authority section. Maharashtra Trees Act 1975.

DDA Tree Officer + Delhi Forest Department. Delhi Preservation of Trees Act 1994.

ghmc.gov.in → Urban Forestry.

Greater Chennai Corporation Tree Officer.

• Karnataka — aranya.gov.in
• Maharashtra — mahaforest.gov.in
• UP — upforest.gov.in
• Tamil Nadu — tnforest.gov.in

1. Hour 0: Photograph trees + cut + builder/contractor on site (if visible).
2. Hour 0-2: GPS pin Google Maps location.
3. Hour 2: File on city Tree Authority portal + email Forest Officer.
4. Hour 4: FIR at home police station under state Trees Act + IFA §26.
5. Day 1: NGT online filing.
6. Day 1: Photograph evidence emailed to NGT + Forest Department + Tree Authority + State PCB.
7. Day 7: RTI to Forest Department for any permissions granted.
8. Day 14: Public Interest Litigation if systemic.

greentribunal.gov.in → File a Case. Free for citizen-filed environmental cases. NGT has 5 zonal benches: Delhi (Principal), Pune, Bhopal, Chennai, Kolkata.

• Description of incident.
• Photographs + GPS + date.
• Local complaint reference numbers.
• Forest Department / Tree Authority permission status.
• Witness affidavits.
• Damage to public/environmental interest.

• Stay further cutting via interim order (within 24 hours possible).
• Mandatory restoration / compensatory plantation.
• Compensation for environmental damage.
• Personal liability of builder / officer.
• Penalty up to ₹10 crore for organisations.
• Imprisonment up to 3 years.

In Re: Aarey Forest (NGT Pune 2019) — halted Mumbai Metro depot construction. Save Yamuna (NGT 2018) — directed UP+Delhi+Haryana environmental restoration. Subhash Kumar (NGT 2024) — pollution of Hyderabad lakes.

[Complainant's letterhead]
By Speed Post AD + email
DD-MM-2026

To,
The Tree Officer / Tree Authority
[City Municipal Corporation]

Sub: Complaint of illegal tree cutting at [Address]

I, [Name], resident of [Address], submit:

1. On DD-MM-2026, ___ trees were cut on the property
   at [Address] by [Name of contractor / builder].
   Photographs at Annexure A.

2. The trees were ___ years old, native species
   ([Names — neem, gulmohar, banyan, mango]).

3. No prior permission from your office was visible
   at site.

4. The cutting was carried out between HH:MM and
   HH:MM in violation of [State Trees Act + city
   bylaws].

I request:
  (a) Immediate stay on further cutting.
  (b) Site visit + verification by Tree Officer.
  (c) FIR / show-cause notice against the contractor.
  (d) Mandatory compensatory plantation at 1:10 ratio
      with 7-year survival care.
  (e) Penalty + recovery from the contractor's
      property tax record.

I have separately filed FIR no. _______ + NGT
petition.

Yours sincerely,
[Name, address, contact]

Annexure A — photographs
Annexure B — Google Maps pin
Annexure C — original tree count from earlier
              residents' surveys / Google Earth
              historical imagery

IN THE NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL,
[Pune / Delhi / Chennai] Bench

Application No. _________ of 2026

[Complainant Name]                          ... Applicant
        [Address]

vs.

1. [Builder / Contractor Name]              ... Respondent
2. The State Forest Department              ... Respondent
3. The Tree Authority, [City]               ... Respondent
4. The Municipal Commissioner, [City]       ... Respondent

PETITION UNDER NGT ACT 2010 SECTION 14 + 15
+ SCHEDULE I

The applicant respectfully submits:

[Pleadings — facts, environmental damage, prayer for
stay, restoration, compensation, costs.]

Documents:
  Annexure A — photographs of cut trees
  Annexure B — pre-cut imagery (Google Earth)
  Annexure C — Tree Authority complaint
  Annexure D — FIR copy
  Annexure E — Tree count / species identification

Verification: [Standard]

DD-MM-2026
[Applicant Name]

PIO, [State] Forest Department / Tree Authority

Sub: Application under §6(1) RTI Act 2005

Please furnish, in respect of the property at [Address]
(Plot / Survey No. _______):

1. Number of permissions granted for tree cutting at
   this property in the last 24 months, with dates.

2. The number of trees + species permitted to be cut.

3. The compensatory plantation requirement specified
   in each permission.

4. Status of compensatory plantation compliance.

5. Whether any complaint of illegal tree cutting at
   this property has been received in the last
   24 months and action taken.

6. The Tree Officer's inspection report on the
   incident of DD-MM-2026.

A reply is requested under §7(1) within 30 days.

[Name, address, contact]
DD-MM-2026

T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad v. UoI (1996) 2 SCC 549 — landmark forest protection. In Re: Aarey Forest (NGT 2019). Vellore Citizens Welfare Forum v. UoI (1996) 5 SCC 647. M.C. Mehta v. UoI (1986) 2 SCC 176.

• NGT — greentribunal.gov.in
• State Forest Departments
• City Tree Authorities — BBMP, MCGM, DDA, GHMC
• State Trees Acts — Karnataka 1976, Maharashtra 1975, Delhi 1994
• Indian Forest Act 1927 — §26, §33
• Forest Conservation Act 1980 — §2
• CAMPA Act 2016 — compensatory afforestation
• NGT Act 2010 — §14, §15, Schedule I
• BNS 2024 — §326

Useful RTI Wiki tools:

• AI RTI Drafter
• PIO Reply Checker
• Water supply complaint guide
• Encroachment complaint guide
• RTI Act 2005 — complete guide

No. Most state Tree Acts require Tree Officer permission for any tree on private land of a certain age / girth. Karnataka requires permission for trees >12 inches girth.

File RTI under §6(1) to the Tree Authority. Permission orders are routinely disclosable.

Interim stay possible within 24-48 hours. Final order in 60-180 days.

File before Magistrate Court under BNSS §175 for direction to police.

NGT can award compensation for “loss of public ecological value” — the citizen petitioner can be ordered some token sum but the major payout goes to environmental restoration.

No. Compensatory plantation at 1:10 + 7-year survival care is the legal requirement. Saplings without survival care = non-compliance.

Yes — for systemic illegal cutting. PIL before High Court.

Joint complaint to Tree Authority + civil suit for damages + FIR for criminal damage.

Only with verified Tree Officer certification. Self-declared “dangerous” cuts are illegal.

Tree expert / botanist + ring counting + photographic comparison with similar trees in the area. Tree Authority has approved expert panel.

A tree cut illegally in 2026 is not collateral damage of urban growth — it is a punishable offence under state Tree Acts + Indian Forest Act + Forest Conservation Act + NGT jurisdiction. Defence is the 24-hour photograph + complaint + FIR + NGT drill. NGT is your most powerful single lever; use it. Compensatory plantation at 1:10 + 7-year survival is the minimum legal compensation; demand nothing less.

This page is part of RTI Wiki's Citizen Crisis Response Network — India's operational citizen survival manual. Updates tracked through NGT orders, Forest Department notifications, state Trees Act amendments, and CIC decisions.