Forest Department directs PWD to plant twenty saplings for cutting of a tree without obtaining permission

IT News

Imphal, Sept. 28

Office of the Divisional Forest Officer, Central Forest Division, Imphal has directed the Public Works Department of the Government of Manipur to plant 20 (twenty) number of saplings at appropriate locations of Greater Imphal area for cutting down of a tree near Johnstone Higher Secondary School without obtaining permission from the Forest department.

The DFO also directed the PWD to pay the value of the tree they cut as assessed by the Range Forest Officer, Sadar East. The PWD has been directed to deposit the value of the tree to the Government exchequer in the form of forest revenue.

However, when Imphal Times contacted the Forest department authority regarding the value of the tree that was cut down yesterday, the authority said that as of now there has not been any fixed value of a tree, however, the Supreme Court of India at one of its ruling had fixed value of trees grown in hectares. Source from the PWD said that the department will accept all form of punishment as per the law. 

Imphal Times reported about the cutting of the fully grown tree in the heart of Imphal city near a footpath adjacent to Johnstone Higher Secondary School by workers of PWD for convenience of lifting an iron bar for construction of the Footbridge. As per “the Guidelines for felling of trees from Non – Forests areas of Manipur” vide State Government notification dated March 1, 2002 and as per order of the Supreme Court of India (1995) cutting of trees without proper permit is punishable.

Meanwhile, Wildlife and Biodiversity Conservation Committee (WBCC) Manipur had slammed the PWD over its ignorance of “Green Mission Manipur” Campaign. In a statement, the WBCC questioned if Imphal area is excluded from the Green Mission Manipur. 

The committee expressed shock in learning the news of cutting of a fully grown tree at Imphal Times newspaper. The Committee urged the concerned government authority to take up adequate action against those people who cut the tree. It also said that if the concern authority fails to take action the Committee will go to the National Green Tribunal.