PUNE The state government, on Friday, issued an order amending the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees Act, 1975, to increase the fine for illegal felling of a tree from ₹5,000 to ₹1 lakh.
The amendment also includes the classification of trees 50-years old or older as “heritage”.
Other notable changes to the act are an increase in the number of trees to be planted in lieu for a tree that has been cut down and to plant native trees under expert guidance.
The amendment has proposed making it mandatory to plant a trees equivalent to the age of the one cut down for development work.
All trees should be by geo-tagged and the amendment has also proposed a census of trees every five years.
Any permission for felling 200 trees or more has to be sought from the Maharashtra State Tree Authority.
Ashoka Ghorpade, chief superintendent, PMC garden department, said,”State has made provisions in the Tree act to increase the fine to ₹1 lakh. It is a very important amendment which will help stop the illegal cutting of trees in urban areas.”
The amendment also states that land owned by a local authority or by the government must be earmarked for plantation of trees, with the objective to preserve local species and improve green cover to the extent of not less than 33 per cent.
{{/usCountry}}The amendment also states that land owned by a local authority or by the government must be earmarked for plantation of trees, with the objective to preserve local species and improve green cover to the extent of not less than 33 per cent.
{{/usCountry}}Highlights of amendments to Tree Act
* Conduct tree census every five years using new technology, such as GIS
* New trees planted in the lieu of permission to fell a tree shall be geo-tagged and monitored using latest technologies available
* Plant trees of same variety or local or native variety and of same age of tree cut down
* Ensure compensatory plantation is carried out in all lands under jurisdiction of urban local authority
* Ensure compensatory plantation for each naturally fallen tree is carried out by urban local authority