Felling mango, malanji trees: Govt decision to be challenged

The stay order issued by the High Court on the State government’s direction on felling of mango and malanji trees without prior permission from the Forest department will be questioned in the High Court again, said senior advocate A K Subbaiah.

Briefing media persons, here, on Saturday, he said, the State government, in a recent order, had exempted 26 species of trees, including mango, from the purview of the Karnataka Forest Rules, 1969. This has benefitted the farmers and coffee growers. However, Kaveri Sene, a NGO had brought a stay order from the High Court for the order of the State government. The Forest department and timber mafia has joined hands with the Kaveri Sene.

“We will fight a case in the High Court in favour of the growers in vacating the stay order. Kasturirangan report has recommended to the government to support the growers to grow trees. Accordingly, the State government had passed an amendment to the Karnataka Forest Rules to allow the growers to fell and transport a few  species of trees without obtaining permission,” he added.