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This is an archive article published on September 8, 2007

Rs 50,000 fine, jail for tree felling

Cut a tree and pay a fine of Rs 50,000. Worse still, face legal consequences and spend a year in jail.

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Cut a tree and pay a fine of Rs 50,000. Worse still, face legal consequences and spend a year in jail.

The above are deterrent measures Himachal Pradesh proposes to introduce in Shimla to save its precious forest cover. The green cover of Shimla, comprising mainly tall deodars, is fast dwindling because of a spate of new constructions which have resulted in the illegal felling of trees. Some people have also been accused of pouring acid on the trees in a bid to kill them.

To deal with the offenders, the Government is getting ready to enact a new law8212;the Tree Preservation Act of Shimla. A draft of the same has already been submitted by Shimla8217;s conservator of forests Vineet Kumar. Some states like Delhi, Maharashtra and Karnataka have already enacted similar laws.

8220;The draft Act will be put before the Cabinet during its next meeting. If approved, the Government will promulgate an ordinance and enforce some of stringent measures in this town to preserve its greenery,8221; Principal Secretary Forests Ashok Thakur informed The Indian Express.

 

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