India, Jan. 28 -- For decades, we have discussed Punjab's water crisis as if it were a temporary hurdle. However, the reality beneath our feet is far more terminal. We have entered an era of water bankruptcy, a systemic state where groundwater is extracted at roughly 156% of its recharge rate-the highest in India. As the Punjab government prepares to table the Tree Protection Act, 2025, in the upcoming Vidhan Sabha session, we must ask: Can a law that largely ignores nearly 90% of the state's land truly secure Punjab's ecological future?

The current draft of the Punjab Tree Protection Act suffers from a fundamental structural flaw: It is overwhelmingly urban-focused. While protecting city trees is vital, Punjab's geography is predominant...