Times of India: Mangaluru: Sunday, 10 March 2024.
Members of the Society for Forest, Environment and Climate Change (SFECC) have demanded that Tree Authorities should be formed in all cities, towns and taluk panchayats as per the Karnataka Preservation of Trees (KPT) Act of 1976.
Forum secretary Benedict Fernandes told reporters here, on Saturday, that the rules related to the preservation of trees are being violated while developing national highways and other development works. He said a petition in this regard will be filed with the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
“The Act that was enacted to ensure greenery in our cities, towns and taluk panchayats have been ignored in the past 46 years. Tree Authorities mandated in the KPT Act have not been formed in cities, towns and taluk panchayat limits. Hence, our organisation has decided to write to the state govt and governor seeking action against officers concerned and take initiatives to form Tree Authorities as per the Act,” he said.
The documents obtained under the RTI show that even the Supreme Court directions were also violated. “The Green Highways Policy, 2015 mandates that the maximum number of trees should be translocated during the national highway widening. Further, the contract to translocate trees should be given only to those who are experts in the work. For each tree that will be cut during the work, 10 saplings should be planted, and it should be done through contractors, who are experts in the field. However, the information received under RTI shows that the Green Highways Policy, 2015 is not being followed during the highway development works,” he said.
The SFECC has already sent letters to the authorities concerned seeking action, he said.
“Since no action has been taken by the authorities concerned, we have decided to file a petition with the NGT,” he added.
Members of the Society for Forest, Environment and Climate Change (SFECC) have demanded that Tree Authorities should be formed in all cities, towns and taluk panchayats as per the Karnataka Preservation of Trees (KPT) Act of 1976.
Forum secretary Benedict Fernandes told reporters here, on Saturday, that the rules related to the preservation of trees are being violated while developing national highways and other development works. He said a petition in this regard will be filed with the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
“The Act that was enacted to ensure greenery in our cities, towns and taluk panchayats have been ignored in the past 46 years. Tree Authorities mandated in the KPT Act have not been formed in cities, towns and taluk panchayat limits. Hence, our organisation has decided to write to the state govt and governor seeking action against officers concerned and take initiatives to form Tree Authorities as per the Act,” he said.
The documents obtained under the RTI show that even the Supreme Court directions were also violated. “The Green Highways Policy, 2015 mandates that the maximum number of trees should be translocated during the national highway widening. Further, the contract to translocate trees should be given only to those who are experts in the work. For each tree that will be cut during the work, 10 saplings should be planted, and it should be done through contractors, who are experts in the field. However, the information received under RTI shows that the Green Highways Policy, 2015 is not being followed during the highway development works,” he said.
The SFECC has already sent letters to the authorities concerned seeking action, he said.
“Since no action has been taken by the authorities concerned, we have decided to file a petition with the NGT,” he added.
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