The Supreme Court, invoking its powers under Article 142 of the Constitution, imposed a tiered penalty system to curb illegal tree felling in the Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ), based on the Central Empowered Committee’s (CEC) recommendations. The penalties include: ₹5,000 per tree for farmers illegally cutting private trees of exempted species; ₹10,000 per tree for illegal felling of restricted species or exempted species by non-farmers; and ₹25,000 per tree for violations under the Indian Forest Act, 1927. The Court instructed the Forest Research Institute (FRI) to submit representations to Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan for phased fund release to carry out a tree census. The states were ordered to release the necessary funds without delay. The ruling reaffirms the Supreme Court’s active role in environmental PILs and its use of Article 142 to ensure justice, especially in protecting ecologically sensitive and heritage zones.