In a major development, the state Cabinet on Thursday, June 10, cleared 13 amendments proposed to the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees Act, 1975.
This includes -- the concept of heritage tree and plan of action for conservation; method to define the age of the tree; compensatory plantation; rules to be followed before hacking trees; formation of the Maharashtra Tree Authority; structure of the local tree authority and their duties; tree census; fixing land of tree plantation; transplantation of trees; and tree cess and fine to be charged.
The decision has been taken to improve the forest cover and conserve old trees, especially those more than 50-years-old in the state.
The amendment has proposed to classify 50-year-old trees as heritage and making it mandatory for the planting of saplings equivalent to the age of the tree the person wants to chop down. This means, if such a tree falls for any purpose (such as construction), the number of trees equal to its age will have to be planted.
However, it may belong to specific species, which will be notified from time to time, the release said. The Environment and Climate Change Department in consultation with the Forest Department will issue guidelines to determine the age of a tree.
Any tree that is planted as compensation should be at least 6-8 feet in height since this “ensures better survival and longer life as they get rooted well.” Moreover, the person/organisation/body/company cutting the tree(s) needs to ensure that the compensatory plants survive for the first seven years. The trees need to be geotagged as well. Only then would it count as compensatory plantation, said an official.
In addition, the Maharashtra cabinet on Wednesday, June 9, approved the proposal for the ordinance for the amendment in the Act, which was moved by Environment and Climate Change Department led by Aaditya Thackeray.
The permission of the felling of more than 200 trees should come from the Maharashtra State Tree Authority. “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 than 200 trees,” said Thackeray.
The amendment has also proposed 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 a maximum limit up to INR 1 lakh per tree,” the proposal has stated.
Thackeray tweeted after the cabinet, “…Through this amendment, we will be able to safeguard green covers across urban landscapes and also provide a robust mechanism to protect heritage trees...”
Meanwhile, the cabinet also approved the proposal for the conservation of mangrove corals in coastal parts of the state under the Green Climate Fund. The project will be implemented in 11 tehsils in four coastal districts. The minimum land under plantation in any urban area shall not be less than 33 per cent, said an official.
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