Maharashtra accords high protection status to “heritage trees”

MUMBAI: In the efforts to protect the trees and environment, Maharashtra has approved the formation of Maharashtra Tree Authority which will be directed to protect the trees around the state. During the meeting of cabinet ministers headed by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, amendment to the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees Act, 1975, were also approved. According to the new directive, the trees more than 50 years of age will be considered as “heritage trees”.

According to the amendment, the “heritage trees” will be accorded more protection and it will be difficult for the project developer to fell a heritage tree. Moreover, such projects which cannot work without tree felling will need to accelerate their compensatory afforestation procedure. For example, if an infrastructure developer removes a 52 years old plant, the authorities will be needed to plant 52 new plants which should be at least 6-8 feet high during plantation. On the other hands, if the authority cannot take up the afforestation due to felling of trees, the financial compensation will be mandatory which would be higher.

The newly made Maharashtra Tree Authority will regulate the felling of trees in the state as according to the amendment, if any project needs to cut more than 200 trees, it will also be needed to send a proposal to the Tree Authority and have to wait for it to sanction to move forward. In addition to this, the local tree authority along with the Maharashtra Tree Authority will conduct a census of all the trees in the state including “heritage trees” every five years.