Maharashtra govt. clears action plan to protect heritage trees

The State will also bring about amendments in the Maharashtra (Urban Area) Protection and Preservation of Trees Act.
It passed an action plan to protect and preserve trees older than 50 years in urban areas by terming them heritage trees.
The plan includes the

Concept of heritage tree and plan of action for conservation;
Method to define age of the tree;
Compensatory plantation;
Rules to be followed before hacking trees;
Formation of the Maharashtra Tree Authority;
Structure of the local tree authority and their duties;
Tree census;
Fixing land of tree plantation;
Transplantation of trees; and
Tree cess and fine to be charged.

As per the plan, trees older than 50 will be termed heritage trees. The Environment and Climate Change Department will issue guidelines in consultation with the State Forest Department based on the existing methods.
Compensatory plantation will include planting the number of trees equivalent to the age of trees to be cut. The saplings need to be six to eight feet in height while planting and they will undergo geo-tagging within seven years of the caring period. The option of monetary compensation has also been given, instead of the compensatory plantation.
A State-level Tree Authority will be formed to protect and preserve heritage trees.

The authority will hear applications seeking permission to cut 200 or more trees that are five or more years old.
The local tree authorities will come under this body.
Tree experts will be part of the local tree authorities.
These bodies will ensure that the tree census is conducted after every five years.
They will also be in charge of counting heritage trees, ensuring their preservation, keeping tabs on tree plantation, pruning and caring of trees, and ensuring that 33% of government land is used for tree plantation.

The State authority will issue directions for the use of tree cess. The fine amount cannot be more than ? 1 lakh per tree in case of violations.

Source: TH

Join Our Telegram

UNDP urges to replicate Aspirational Districts programme of India

PRAGYATA': Guidelines on Digital Education

Oceanic Anoxic Event 1a and MASS EXTINCTION

25 Dec, 24
SHARE

Oceanic Anoxic Event 1a from the Paris Basin (Environment) Paper-3 PMP OAE 1a refers to a period during the Cretaceous Period (145 million years ago and ended 66 million years ago) when Earth's oceans became depleted of oxygen, causing a significant disruption in marine life. Cause: The event is believed to have been

Viksit Panchayat Karmayogi (Good governance)

26 Dec, 24
SHARE

Viksit Panchayat Karmayogi (Good governance) Governance GS PAPER-2 PMP Dr. Jitendra Singh launched the ‘Viksit Panchayat Karmayogi’ initiative on Good Governance Day, celebrated to mark the 100th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The initiative, which is part of the broader ‘Prashasan Gaon

Major programmes to control Air Pollution

23 Dec, 24
SHARE

Major programmes to control Air Pollution National Clean Air Programme? It was launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in January 2019. It is the first-ever effort in the country to frame a national framework for air quality management with a time-bound reduction target. The

Air pollution and Air quality Measures in India

21 Dec, 24
SHARE

Air pollution and Air quality Measures in India (Environment) GS Paper-3 P-M-P Air pollution may be defined as the presence of any solid, liquid or gaseous substance including noise and radioactive radiation in the atmosphere in such concentration that may be directly and/or indirectly injurious to humans or other l

Geopolitical Significance of Ports

20 Dec, 24
SHARE

Geopolitical Significance of Ports (IR) Act as geopolitical assets: Ports enhance the projection of strategic reach, which helps strengthen the country’s control over important sea and energy supply routes. E.g. Indian Navy’s staging base at Agalega Islands will enable marine patrols