Ludhiana tree census tracks blind spots of anti-logging machinery.

Ludhiana: A pioneering tree census has mapped more than 1.5 lakh trunks across the city’s public parks and roadsides, establishing a digital shield against illegal logging in the industrial hub.The municipal corporation commissioned the ongoing survey through a private firm following a National Green Tribunal (NGT) directive. The project uses GPS (global positioning system) mapping to log each tree’s location, species, trunk size, age, and health condition, allowing authorities to track and verify the canopy in real time.“Through GPS mapping, we can verify a tree’s position at any time,” said Ishwar, a representative of the contracting firm. “If a tree is cut down illegally, we will know immediately.”Municipal corporation’s junior engineer Kripal Singh said the data will form the baseline for strict new tree preservation rules. “Once the mapping is complete, we can frame regulations for tree safety and put an end to illegal felling,” he said.The census follows an Oct 2023 NGT order mandating that the civic body document urban plantation survival rates and publish park inventory online. While a joint committee recommended the census in 2024, contractor hiring delays pushed the fieldwork into this year.Surveyors reported some resistance from local residents, who have objected to workers photographing trees near their properties out of fear that the digital records will complicate future building modifications or emergency tree removals.Officials expect the remaining mapping to wrap up within two months.