Bengaluru, May 8 (PTI) Karnataka Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre on Thursday stressed the need to amend the Preservation of Trees Act to take strict action against illegal cutting of trees on government lands.
Addressing a meeting at 'Aranya Bhavan' here, he highlighted the recent Supreme Court disapproval of tree felling and emphasised that safeguarding of trees was a collective responsibility in the face of global warming and climate change.
Noting that there is public anger over the permission being given to cut hundreds of trees in the name of development, Khandre said permission should not be given to fell trees unnecessarily.
According to a statement from his office, the Minister directed officials to clear large forest encroachments and said the poor who had less than 3 acres of land -- including patta (cultivated land with ownership claims) and encroached land -- before 2015, should be resettled without any problem.
There should be zero tolerance for encroachment, he said. "Whoever has encroached on the forest land after 2015 should be cleared without mercy and action should be taken."
He also instructed officials to provide information about the encroachment that has taken place in the last 2 years, the clearance done, and the action taken.