Nawanshahr- District Magistrate Rajesh Dhiman, exercising the powers vested in him under Section 163 of the Indian Citizen Security Code, 2023; has issued orders prohibiting the felling of very important green mango, neem, peepal and banyan trees from the delisted area within the limits of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district.
The orders issued state that if it is necessary to cut the said trees in special circumstances, then they should be cut only with the approval of the Forest Department. For this purpose, the same procedure will be adopted by the Forest Department, which is adopted for granting permits in closed areas under Sections 4 and 5 of the Punjab Land Conservation Act, 1900.
If it is necessary to cut green mango, neem, peepal and banyan trees at any place in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district other than the delisted area; then it should be cut only after obtaining permission from the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar.
These orders state that it has been observed that some people are cutting green mango, neem, peepal and banyan trees without any reason. These trees have religious importance since ancient times and they have a big contribution in protecting the environment from pollution. Apart from this, wild animals and birds etc. usually rest on these big trees. Cutting of such trees not only has a bad effect on the environment, but also has an adverse effect on the rest of the birds, due to which many species of birds are becoming extinct. For this reason, it is necessary to ban their cutting. These orders will be in force till March 8, 2025.