Forest Minister urged to amend Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act, 1976, for stronger protection measures

City-based activists and NGOs have urged the State government to amend the Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act, 1976, in a bid to strengthen tree protection.

City-based activists and NGOs have urged the State government to amend the Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act, 1976, in a bid to strengthen tree protection.

This is consequent to the recent felling of 40 trees on the Hyder Ali Road for road widening that triggered public outrage against the Forest Department.

In a letter to Eshwar Khandre, Minister for Forests, Ecology and Environment, Mysore Grahakara Parishath and People’s Union for Civil Liberties underlined the urgency to ament the Act which is focused on tree felling by private citizens on private land.

S. Shobana, working president, MGP, and Kamal Gopinath, president, PUCL, said it was imperative that trees on public lands, and the government departments that are entrusted with their preservation, are brought under the purview of the Act. This will help fix accountability on the government departments for unjustified felling of trees, said MGP and PUCL. “The amendment to the Act should be done in a time-bound manner in consultation with experts drawn from civil society,” the two added.

The letter said there was a need for strong focus on increasing the tree covers in the cities rather than the rampant felling that has become the norm. ‘’How can we have the moral authority to exhort our children to protect trees, forests and wildlife, when the so-called official guardians of these precious assets act with impunity to destroy them, the letter asked, pointing out that trees, forests and wildlife are national treasures that belong to all.

Ms. Shobana and Mr. Gopinath said that while Article 51 (A) of the Constitution makes it the fundamental duty of every citizen to protect and improve the natural environment, Article 48A places a responsibility on the State to do the same.

Drawing attention to the felling of 40 trees, the two organisations said that the incident demonstrated how government officials are at times, not only completely out of step with the sentiments of the people, but also lack basic ecological sensitivity.