Govt order on trees not to be implemented

  • 03/07/2008

  • New Indian Express (Chennai)

Chennai THE GO dated September 3, 2007 of the Environment and Forest Department, which exempted 36 species of trees from the purview of Timber Transit Rules (TTRs) will not be implemented, the Madras High Court was told on Wednesday. When the arguements on a batch of writ petitions from the Tamil Nadu Forest Staff Association and two others challenging the GO commenced on Wednesday, Additional Advocate General PS Raman told the First Bench comprising Chief Justice AK Ganguly and Justice FM Ibrahim Kalifulla that the government was not willing to implement the GO till the rules were framed. And recording the submission, the Bench disposed of the public interest writ petitions. Earlier, advocate Selvi George and others contended that the GO was violative of the orders of the Supreme Court and the Forest Acts and Rules. If it was allowed to exist, it would lead to depletion and destruction of forests, which, in turn, would cause serious environmental fallouts such as global warming and climate changes. It would also pave way for indiscriminate felling, they said.