The Maharashtra cabinet announced on Wednesday that a fine of Rs 50,000 will be imposed on anyone found guilty of cutting down trees without prior permission. This new law will apply across the state, excluding urban areas. Currently, the fine for illegal tree felling is only Rs 1,000 under the Maharashtra Felling of Trees (Regulation) Act, 1964. However, environmentalists are skeptical about how effectively this rule will be enforced. The cabinet also decided to confiscate any tools or vehicles used in illegal tree cutting as part of the stricter regulations.
The Maharashtra cabinet has approved a significant increase in the penalty for unauthorized tree felling, raising the fine from Rs 1,000 to Rs 50,000. “The govt has recognised the need for stricter measures to protect the state’s precious green and tree cover and has decided to amend Section 4 of the Maharashtra Tree Felling (Regulation) Act 1964 to reflect the increased penalty.“An ordinance will be issued soon,” announced Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar. “We have long been advocating for stronger laws to protect trees and forests for long. It is crucial to enforce these laws to prevent corruption. In Akola, truckloads of trees are illegally cut down every day to supply sawmills, yet the forest department remains inactive. My complaints have gone unanswered,” said green activist Munna Sheikh.
Green activist Shrikant Deshpande expressed concern that the increased penalty should not backfire. “The state should implement a similar decision for the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees (Amendment) Act, 2015,”he said.
“The government’s decision is a step in the right direction towards preserving the state’s natural heritage. We hope the law will be implemented strictly,” said Anasuya Kale, president of the Swacch Association.
Green Vigil founder Kaustav Chatterjee welcomed the increase in penalties for illegal tree felling but emphasized that it is not a complete solution to the issue. “The government must also take steps to raise awareness about the importance of saving trees,” he stated. Additionally, Jaydeep Das, a former honorary wildlife warden, highlighted the need for a transparent and streamlined process for obtaining tree felling permissions. This approach will help prevent unscrupulous individuals from exploiting loopholes in the system and ensure that only genuine cases are approved.