District magistrate Manashvi Kumar has banned the cutting of mango trees throughout the district under Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code.
Permission to cut these trees would be given by the forest department only under special circumstances. The DM has ordained that the forest department would follow the same procedure as in the case of notified areas under the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA) to grant permission for felling of green mango trees.
Manashvi Kumar said that many bird species were going extinct due to the depleting green cover. "To attract more birds, more such trees need to be planted which provide natural habitat to them," he said.
"Seasonal disturbances and changing land use patterns are impacting the fauna. More trees should be planted to maintain ecological balance and preserve endangered species," he added.