Shillong: The Meghalaya High Court has instructed the State government to temporarily suspend the felling of trees in and around the Lower New Colony area of Laitumkhrah, as well as throughout the East Khasi Hills district.
The directive came during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) aimed at halting illegal or improper tree felling practices.
The division bench, consisting of Chief Justice Indra Prasanna Mukerji and Justice Wanlura Diengdoh, ordered the State government to disclose all pending applications for tree felling.
The applications must be processed and resolved in strict accordance with the Meghalaya Tree (Preservation) Act, 1976, and the Meghalaya Tree (Preservation) Rules, 1976.
The court further instructed the government to submit an affidavit detailing the status of each application, the procedures followed, and the outcome of any pending requests.
The government has been given until February 28 to file this information, with a copy to be served on the Advocate-on-Record for the petitioner.
The court emphasised the significance of the writ petition, extending its scope to cover the entire East Khasi Hills district. “Considering the nature, scope, and impact of the writ petition, we include the entire district within the purview of the petition and this order,” the bench stated.
The petition highlighted that, according to the Meghalaya Tree (Preservation) Act and Rules, any request for tree felling must begin with an application from the Divisional Forest Officer, followed by an inquiry.
Additionally, the Nagar Van Yojana (NVJ) scheme, introduced by the Government of India in 2020, places restrictions on tree cutting and encourages urban forestry.
The petitioner argued that the state had been felling trees without adhering to the prescribed procedures.
Complaints regarding trees obstructing paths or posing safety risks had led to indiscriminate felling, including the destruction of century-old heritage trees.
ALSO READ: Assam: NTPC partners with local authorities to upgrade infra at Kokrajhar District Jail
While ND Chullai, the Additional Advocate General representing the state, filed an affidavit in response to the allegations on June 18, 2024, the court noted that it found no indication that the established procedure had been followed.
The court also warned that any illegal or irregular tree felling is irreversible and instructed the State to take compensatory action.
Where felling has occurred unlawfully, the government must plant trees of a similar type to restore the area’s ecological balance.
The next hearing for the PIL is scheduled for March 5, 2025.
