Bengaluru: The State government on Wednesday withdrew the proposed amendment to the Karnataka Tree Preservation Act, 1976, which it had introduced in the Legislative Assembly earlier this month.
Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs T.B. Jayachandra conceded to the Assembly that the changes to the Act may lead to illegal felling of trees across the State. The amendment Bill proposed to remove 50 species of trees from the purview of the Act. It was, in fact, proposing to give an exemption to seeking permission to felling trees.
While the intention was to aid agro-forestry in the State, by reducing permission and approvals needed for farmers to harvest trees, the minister said the government had realised that the amendment could be misused.
The existing Act permits farmers to cut 25 species of trees in their farmlands. Jayachandra said that there would be no changes in the current list.
