VIJAYAWADA: The State government on Wednesday informed the Andhra Pradesh High Court that it had constituted a Tree Protection Advisory Committee to ensure that trees are not indiscriminately axed for development projects, and are instead transplanted wherever possible.
The government told the court that any department proposing to remove trees for a project should approach the committee, which would examine the proposal, and take an appropriate decision. It also informed the court that a manual had been prepared detailing procedures for transplanting trees without cutting them down.
Taking note of the submissions, a division bench, comprising Chief Justice Lisa Gill and Justice Challa Gunaranjan, directed the government to establish a mechanism through which any citizen could lodge a complaint against indiscriminate felling of trees. The bench said the complaints should be looked into promptly, and directed the government to introduce a toll-free number, besides an email facility for receiving complaints.
The court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Guntur-based medical student Asmad Mohammed Sheikh Shah, who alleged that large trees were being indiscriminately axed in the name of road widening, laying and maintenance of power lines and other government works. The petitioner sought directions for transplanting trees instead of cutting them down.
During an earlier hearing, the High Court expressed serious concern over indiscriminate tree felling for government projects, observing that such activity posed a serious threat to the environment.
‘Electricity dept staff cut off trees’
It observed that environmental protection was a collective responsibility, and directed the Chief Secretary to constitute a committee comprising officials from various departments and environmental experts to suggest measures to curb tree felling and implement tree transplantation.
During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel Basheer Ahmed said there had been some movement following the court’s earlier directions. However, he alleged that electricity department personnel were cutting down trees instead of merely trimming branches.