Face2News/Ludhiana
In a Petition No. O.A. 200 of 2023 as filed with Hon’ble NGT by the members of Public Action Committee with plea of Tree Protection Act & Census of Trees standing on Public places in Punjab, the NGT had directed the Forest Head (Principal Chief Conservator of Forest) to look into the matter & take remedial action as per law.
Kuldeep Singh Khaira & Kapil Arora informed media that keeping in view of directions of Hon’ble NGT, the Forest department had conducted survey of illegally axed trees in Ludhiana and sought reply from all the respondents.
We were also asked to submit reply and accordingly, we visited the District Forest Office and explained all the actual & factual position and limitation of department in acting against illegal axing of trees as there is no Tree Protection Act in Punjab for Non-Forest Public Land and Census of trees/records has not been done any such department & thus it is difficult to identify any missing tree & thus offenders are illegally axing the trees without any fear, causing huge damage to environment.
(SUBHEAD)Dr. Amandeep Singh Bains & Col. Jasjit Singh Gill informed that members of Public Action Committee have filed numerous complaints but no adequate action has been taken by MCL, LIT or other concerned departments. The complaint filed by them with police department has not seen the day of light till date. Keeping in view of the plea in petition & as submitted by us in meeting with the Forest Officer, the PCCF (HoFF) has submitted the report with Hon’ble NGT with recommendations in brief is produced as follow:
Presently there is no legal mechanism/legal provisions for tree protection on non-forest public lands in place to penalize offenders for illicit felling/lopping/pollarding etc. which needs to be put in place by the respective departments/institutions looking after and safeguarding public trees standing on Non-Forest Public Land.
Municipal Corporation Ludhiana & Ludhiana Improvement Trust have a lot of pendency of illicit felling/lopping/pollarding cases which needs to be cleared by a close follow up and liaison with Police Department.
The Police Department needs to deal them on priority and expedite the pending proceedings so as to conclude them in a time bound manner and due consideration and priority is given to tree offences by police department as trees are one of the foremost, important and in dispensable public utility.
Proper numbering of trees and maintenance of proper enumeration records is a must. It can be done on same pattern which is currently being followed by Forest Department. All respondent departments need to ensure that enumeration exercise and related records are completed into in the earliest possible shortest time.
The respondent departments/institutions should take up compensatory plantations at the site of axed lopped/pollarded trees to the maximum possible extent. If impossible, alternative site nearest to the site of offence should be explored and planted.
The petitioners added further that from the report of Forest Head, it is clear that there is no Tree Protection Act or Census of trees in Non-Forest Public Land in Punjab due to which departments are acting like toothless tigers. Keeping in view of this report, we are going to file Application with Hon’ble NGT with plea to issue directions to Punjab Govt. to enforce Tree Protection Act with strict provisions of hefty penalty and/or criminal proceeding against the offenders. As plead earlier, we would also request the Hon’ble NGT to issue directions to all concerned departments for Census of tress standing on Public Land in Punjab.
