Even as regular incidents of illegal axing of trees in non-forest areas are being reported, there exist no legal provisions with the concerned authorities for action against the offenders involved in the same, as per the findings of a committee headed by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF).
The only remedy available with the departments is filing police complaints which has proven to be ineffective, stated the report which was recently submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
“Municipal corporation and Ludhiana Improvement Trust have reported the axing/topping/pruning incidents to police but the desired results on follow up by concerned departments and action by concerned police station are lacking,” reads the report.
It was made public on Tuesday by petitioners who had submitted a plea before the NGT against illegal axing of trees in non-forest areas in the city.
The committee was formed on the directions of the NGT in March after a petition by residents against the illegal axing of trees in the area under the municipal corporation, Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT), Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA), and Punjab Agricultural University (PAU).
The NGT had directed the PCCF (HoFF), Punjab, to look into the matter and take remedial action, preferably within two months.
{{/usCountry}}The NGT had directed the PCCF (HoFF), Punjab, to look into the matter and take remedial action, preferably within two months.
{{/usCountry}}The report also highlighted that the legal action taken by the municipal corporation and Ludhiana Improvement Trust has failed to bring desired results due to a lack of follow-up.
The committee recommended that legal mechanisms for the protection of trees on non-forest public land need to be formed.
“There is a need for a legal mechanism to impose fines and prosecute offenders,” states the report.
It further said, “The pending action against the violators should be taken in a time-bound manner in close liaison with police.”
MC yet to complete enumeration of trees
The report also noted that all respondent departments except the civic body have completed the enumeration, and the civic body has given an assurance that the same will be completed by December 31, 2023.
The committee also said that proper numbering and maintenance of records of the trees is important on the lines of the forest department. All concerned departments need to ensure that enumeration exercise and related records are completed in the possible time, it further read.
It said that the concerned departments need to improve surveillance mechanisms for public places while compensatory plantations at the site of the trees also need to be taken up. The report also said that the clauses regarding the compensatory plantation for development work should be embedded in the development proposals.
The report said that the trees in PAU were auctioned after following due procedure as they were posing a threat to life and property and as many as 410 new trees have been planted
The petitioners in the case Kuldeep Singh Kaira and Kapil Arora said, “Tree Protection Act should be introduced with provisions for strict action against the violators.” They added that the forest department had conducted a survey of illegally axed trees in Ludhiana and sought replies from MC, LIT, GLADA, and PAU.
The petitioners had also submitted their reply to the district forest office in which they said that as there is no census and record of trees, it is difficult to identify missing trees which gives a free hand to offenders who cause damage to the environment.