SC rebuke sparks demand to amend tree protection laws

Following the Supreme Court's recent criticism of the Maharashtra government for its "gross negligence" in compensatory afforestation, a group of environmentalists, activists and citizens led by advocate Niranjan Deshpande has written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and environment minister Pankaja Munde, urging urgent amendments to the state's outdated tree protection laws.

- Pranali Lotlikar

The group has called for an immediate overhaul of the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees Act, 1975, claiming that the existing legislation is ineffective and has enabled a "tree-cutting menace" to flourish unchecked across the state's urban centres.

"The law meant to protect urban trees has failed in its objective," the letter states, adding that the current framework allows tree felling under other legislations such as the Nagar Panchayat Act and the Highways Act, thereby undermining the tree authority's powers and rendering the act's intent redundant.

Speaking to FPJ, Deshpande alleged that even government bodies have encroached upon trees under the guise of city beautification.