SC imposes Rs 1 lakh fine for each illegally cut tree

New Delhi: Illegal tree cutting is common across the country. However, the Supreme Court in its landmark decision on Tuesday has made it clear that cutting a large number of trees is a criminal activity and it will be considered worse than killing a human being. The apex court further added that those who harm the environment are not worthy of mercy and they need to pay Rs 1 lakh for illegal chopping of a tree. The tough ruling came due to a case registered against a man responsible for cutting 454 trees in the Taj Trapezium Zone, a protected region situated near the Taj Mahal.

A bench of Justices Abhay S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan rejected the appeal of Shiv Shankar Agarwal, who did this heinous crime. The court stressed that it would take 100 years for the recovery of the loss of 454 trees.

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The court agreed with senior advocate ADN Rao, who argued that a strong message was needed to prevent people from taking environmental laws lightly. This verdict of the Supreme Court is exemplary because a fine will be imposed against the illegal cutting of a tree.

Meanwhile, Agarwal’s lawyer, Mukul Rohatgi, said that a mistake was committed and requested to reduce the fine because it is too much. He wished to allow the replanting of trees in the nearby regions. However, the court remained on his decision and refused to drop the fine, but it has allowed the guilty party to plant trees in surrounding areas.

It is the duty of the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department to recover the fine under the UP Protection of Trees Act, 1976. The apex court ruling has sent a strong message against those who cut down trees illegally, creating awareness of environmental protection across the country.