Govt withdraws bill to amend Tree Act

After facing the wrath of conservationists and citizens in the last couple of weeks, the government on Wednesday withdrew the amendment bill to the Karnataka Tree Preservation Act, 1976, which it had introduced in the Assembly earlier this month.

Law Minister T B Jayachandra, who informed the Assembly about the withdrawal of the bill, conceded that the changes to the Act might lead to illegal felling of trees across the state.

The amendment bill proposed to remove 50 species of trees from the purview of the Act. In other words, it was proposing to give an exemption to seeking permission to fell these trees.

Jayachandra said soon after the government proposed the amendment, it realised that the provisions could be misused. This, he said, would impact the environment and further reduce the forest cover in the state.

The existing Act permits farmers to cut 25 species of trees in their farmlands. Jayachandra said there would be no changes to the said list.

Some of the species listed in the amendment bill are Gulmohar, Indian Coral, Raintree, Soapnut, firs/pines, Sausage tree, Umbrella tree, Malabar Neem and Indian Cork.