The government has constituted green committees at the State and district levels to regulate the cutting and planting of trees in public lands and public offices following a Madras High Court directive.
Environment, Climate Change and Forests Department secretary Supriya Sahu will be the Chairperson of the committee.
The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and head of the Forest Department will be the member secretary. The Secretaries of Industries, Rural Development, Municipal Admini- stration, Revenue, Tourism, PWD, Highways and the DGP will be the members.
The committee will provide policy support to district committees for the preservation of trees and for felling/removal/disposal of standing/ fallen trees on public lands and in public places.
It will prepare an annual plan for tree planting in the State, provide policy support for native species specific to the bio-geographical zone. It will also provide policy support for removing exotic trees from various government lands/public places in a phased manner to be replaced by the native tree species.
The committee would meet once in three months and work out incentives for organisations and individuals to encourage tree planting, said an order by Ms. Sahu.
District committees
The Collector will be the chairperson of the district committees, with the district forest officer as the member secretary.
They will map all trees on public lands and in public places and prepare a comprehensive list.
These committees will grant permission for felling of trees only after due verification.
Apart from taking care of funding aspects, the committees will also undertake annual planting of trees and mobilise self-help groups, farmers, youth organisations, and members of civil society groups for setting up nurseries.
