Mysuru: Environmentalists seek amendment to Karnataka Tree Preservation Act 1976

Action committee urges Karnataka government to amend Tree Preservation Act, protect environment, and involve local people in conservation efforts.

Underlining lacunae in the Karnataka Tree Preservation Act in vogue in the State, an action committee to Save Environment (Parisara Ulivigagi Kriya Samithi), an umbrella organisation of various environmental groups in the city, has urged the government to make suitable amendments to strengthen it.

In a letter addressed to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, members of the group led by activist Parashurame Gowda have called for abrogation of the clause that indemnifies government officials by providing a degree of protection from legal proceedings arising from their actions under the said Act. In addition, the powers to permit tree felling should be revoked from the Deputy Conservator of Forests and vested with officials of the rank of CF or above, said the letter.

The environmentalists also called for declaration of a green zone around Chamundi Hills, Kukkarahalli Lake, Lingambudhi Lake etc and sought a ban on tree felling in a radius of 2 km to 5 km from these natural ecosystems.

Calling for a long-term vision for road widening and other linear infrastructure works, the Government was asked to take up afforestation three years ahead of scheduled civic works which entail tree felling.

Underlining the imperatives of the involvement of local people on environmental conservation issues, the Chief Minister was urged to appoint four senior persons, who are also interested in environment conservation, to the Tree Authority by bringing in a suitable amendment to the Tree Preservation Act.

Members of the Committee said that it should be made compulsory to take permission of the Tree Authority in future to fell trees more than 10 years old within a radius of 5 km of a city or town. The amendment to the Act should ensure that all land - be it private or government land including gomal land,  be brought under the purview of the Authority.

Pointing out that at present the Tree Authority existed only on paper and it was inactive, the Committee suggested to the Chief Minister to revamp it and constitute new tree authorities at the ward level.