Keypoints:
- State government decides to make an amendment to Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees Act, 1975 in order to protect the forest cover and conserve old trees.
- This amendment proposes to classify 50 year old trees as heritage, tighten the rules for felling of trees for development works and increase the number of trees to be planted in lieu for the cut tree.
The state government has decided to make an amendment in Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees Act, 1975 in order to improve the forest cover and conserve old trees. This amendment has proposed to classify 50-year-old trees as heritage, tighten the rules for felling of trees for development works and increase the number of trees to be planted in lieu for the cut tree.
On Wednesday, the Maharashtra cabinet approved the proposal for the Amendment acts’ ordinance, which was moved by Environment and Climate Change Department led by Aaditya Thackeray.
The amendment act proposes to make it mandatory to plant trees equivalent to the age of the tree in case felling of trees is allowed for development project. The planted trees are required to be 6-8 feet in height; their survival should be ensured by geo-tagging.
“The authority will be over the ones that are with various urban local bodies and will look into the conservation of heritage trees and proposals to cut more that 200 trees,” said Thackeray.
The amendment also proposes the census of trees every five years with the use of new technology such as GIS-based app. “Maharashtra Tree Authority, once formed, will issue guidelines for utilization of tree cess… Fines and penalties shall be notified from time to time, with maximum limit upto ₹1 lakh per tree,” the proposal has stated.
After the cabinet, Thackeray tweeted,“…Through this amendment, we will be able to safeguard green covers across urban landscapes and also provide a robust mechanism to protect heritage trees…”
Cabinet has also approved the conservation of mangrove corals in coastal parts of the state which comes under Green Climate Fund. This project will be implemented in 11 tehsils in four coastal districts.
