Environmentalists demand wider consultation on Punjab tree protection act
They are demanding provisions for granting carbon credits to tree growers, strict penalties including imprisonment for illegal tree felling, protection for heritage trees through a special law, and a rule mandating the planting of 15 trees for every tree cut.
The Punjab Government had introduced the Act to preserve green cover, ensure ecological balance, and regulate the felling and replanting of trees.
A group of environmentalists said they have already submitted a detailed document to the state government outlining how the Act should be implemented and what key provisions should be included.
In a conversation with The New Indian Express, leading environmentalist Samita Kaur said the proposed Act currently covers only urban areas. She stressed that it should be implemented across the state, including rural regions, with a focus on agroforestry in villages, which is missing from the current draft.
She also said that farmers and others who grow trees should be given carbon credits in both urban and rural areas to encourage tree planting. Giving the example of Uttar Pradesh, she said that the state government there not only grants carbon credits but also pays them in advance to motivate farmers.
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