Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994 was enacted in order to save the trees planted in the National Capital of India from getting depleted due to human activities. The act aimed at keeping a check on the cutting of trees by the owners of the trees on their land. The act gave birth to Tree Authority in the National Capital Region(NCR) of India for the preservation of trees.
Let’s look into any of the duties of Tree Authority which the act defines:
Protection of trees under its Jurisdiction.
Undertaking a critical study of the proposals of different departments and private bodies for construction of buildings, roads, factories, irrigation work, laying out of electric, telephonic, telegraph, and other transmission lines with regard to the protection of existing trees and planting of more trees, whenever possible.
Also sending out the census of existing trees and also winning a declaration from all owners of occupants about the number of trees on their land.
Restrictions imposed by the Act
The law made a conscious restriction on the owners of the trees. It is working as a check on the number of trees you are having and then securing you liable for the tree you cut. One can own land but can’t own the environment.
Keeping this in mind the act restrains a person from cutting a tree or its branch. The act says that no person shall fell, discharge or dispose of any tree or any forest produce in any land. A restriction is on the trees under your control or occupancy or otherwise. If you want to fell, remove or dispose of a tree then you have obtained previous permission from the Tree Officer. Without proper permission, one can’t do the act.
What if there is grave danger and the authorities cannot be informed immediately?
When if the tree is not promptly felled, then there would be a grave danger to life or property or traffic then in these kinds of situations the owner can take immediate action to fell the tree. The fact should be reported to the Tree Officer within 24 hours of such feeling.
If a person wants to cut, dispose or fell a tree then the person has to make an application to the concerned Tree officer for approval. Such application has to be completed by attested copies of such documents as prescribed in support of:
Ownership over the land.
The number and kind of trees to be cut.
Their girth measure.
The reason for cutting the tree.
After review, the Tree Officer may either grant permission in whole or in part or for the reasons recorded in writing.
When an application cannot be turned down?
There are definite situations where the permission for the act can’t be denied by the officer. The situations which the Act specifies are:
When the tree is dead, diseased or wind-fallen,
Is silviculturally mature, provided that the tree does not occur on a steep slope,
Constitutes danger to life or property,
Constitutes obstruction to traffic,
The tree is substantially damaged or destroyed by fire, lightning, rain or other natural causes.
Unlike other application and events in India, Tree Officer has to make his decision within 60 days of the receipt of the application. Disappointing to comply with the time period, the permission is allowed to be granted.
How many times permission can be obtained?
Permission is limited to one hectare at a time. So the officer can grant authority only 2 times a year to any person in one area. This checks too many persons obtaining a person to cut down the tree on the same land having rendering unreasonable reasons.
An obligation to plant Tree:
The entire idea behind preserving the tree will fail if people without being required any penalty gets permission to cut, fell or dispose of a tree because every person will come with some of the other ultimate reason to cut the tree down.
The Preservation of Trees act has mandated that any person getting the important permission to dispose or cut or feel the tree, is bound to plant such number and kind of trees in the area from which the tree is felled or disposed of. The person should start the preparatory work in thirty days after taking the approval from the Tree officer. If the person fails to do so then the Tree officer has to make the tree planted and the officer can obtain the requisite cost from the person.
Penalties and Procedure:
More than an officer’s duty, it’s our responsibility towards nature to check whether someone is following the guidelines or not. If you really care about sustainable development then do report. Reporting will attract the following fines:
Seizure of Property: If the Tree officer believe that the offense has been performed under this act with respect of trees, then the officer may seize (i) tools, (ii) implements, (iii) any boats, (iv) vehicles, (v) animals or (vi) other conveyances used for the commission.
Power to arrest without warrant: Any tree officer or a forest officer not under the rank the rank of a Forest Ranger or a Police Officer.
Penalty: A person can be punished with one-year imprisonment or a fine exceeding to ₹1000 or both.
Your duty…Not specified but expected.
It is the duty of an individual to render information regarding the commission of forest offense which incorporates cutting of trees and killing of wild animals and also information regarding fires in Government forests. Control who has been set up at the Divisional Head Quarter of every Tree Officer, where any objection regarding Forest & Wildlife offense at Phone No 23923561/26094711/23361879/23378514.
A Tree HelpLine has been set up to attend any charges regarding felling or damaging the trees including lopping at Phone No. 23378513.
It is true that the person owns the land which makes him the ultimate owner of the property on the land. A tree is the part of the same land, then why a person is not reasonably permitted to cut the tree? Owing to land and owing the nature are 2 different things. You may own the tangible asset on the land but you cannot control its depreciation. One can’t own the oxygen he takes in and the oxygen comes from the trees.
Sheria ya Uhifadhi wa Miti ya Delhi ilitolewa mnamo 1994 ili kuokoa miti iliyopandwa katika mji mkuu wa India kutoka kwa kupoteza kwa sababu ya shughuli za binadamu. Sheria hiyo ilikusudiwa kudumisha udhibiti juu ya kukatwa kwa miti na wamiliki wa miti kwenye ardhi yao. Sheria hiyo ilizaa Mamlaka ya Mti katika Mkoa wa Mji Mkuu wa Kitaifa (NCR) wa India kwa ajili ya uhifadhi wa miti. Hebu tuangalie yoyote ya majukumu ya Mamlaka ya Mti ambayo sheria inafafanua: Ulinzi wa miti chini ya mamlaka yake. Kufanya utafiti muhimu wa mapendekezo ya idara mbalimbali na mashirika binafsi kwa ajili ya ujenzi wa majengo, barabara, viwanda, kazi ya umwagiliaji, kuweka nje ya umeme, simu, telegraph, na mistari mingine ya maambukizi kwa kuzingatia ulinzi wa miti iliyopo na kupanda miti zaidi, wakati wowote iwezekanavyo. Pia, kuandaa orodha ya miti iliyopo na kupata taarifa kutoka kwa wamiliki wote wa wakazi kuhusu idadi ya miti kwenye ardhi yao. Vizuizi vilivyowekwa na Sheria Sheria hiyo iliweka vizuizi kwa wamiliki wa miti. Hii ni kwa sababu ya kuwa na uwezo wa kukusanya miti ya kutosha na kuifanya iwe rahisi kwa mti wa kukata. Mtu anaweza kumiliki ardhi lakini hawezi kumiliki mazingira. Kwa kukumbuka jambo hilo, tendo hilo humzuia mtu asikata mti au tawi lake. Sheria hiyo inasema kwamba mtu yeyote hawezi kukata, kutupa au kuondoa mti wowote au bidhaa yoyote ya misitu katika ardhi yoyote. Mipaka ya miti ya chini ya udhibiti wako au ukoloni Ikiwa unataka kuanguka, kuondoa au kuondoa mti basi umepata ruhusa ya awali kutoka kwa Afisa wa Mti. Bila ruhusa sahihi, mtu hawezi kufanya tendo hilo. Namna gani ikiwa kuna hatari kubwa na mamlaka haziwezi kuarifiwa mara moja? Ikiwa mti hauanguki kwa haraka, basi kutakuwa na hatari kubwa kwa maisha au mali au trafiki, basi katika hali kama hizi mmiliki anaweza kuchukua hatua ya haraka kuangusha mti. Ujumbe huo unapaswa kuelekezwa kwa afisa wa mti ndani ya masaa 24 ya hisia hiyo. Ikiwa mtu anataka kukata, kuondoa au kuangusha mti, basi mtu huyo lazima afanye ombi kwa afisa wa mti anayehusika kwa idhini. Maombi hayo yanapaswa kukamilika na nakala zilizothibitishwa za nyaraka kama ilivyoelezwa kwa msaada wa: Umiliki juu ya ardhi. Idadi na aina ya miti inayopaswa kukatwa. Kiasi cha kipenyo chao. Sababu ya kukata mti huo. Baada ya ukaguzi, Afisa wa Mti anaweza kutoa ruhusa kwa ujumla au kwa sehemu au kwa sababu zilizoandikwa kwa maandishi. Ni wakati gani ombi haliwezi kukataliwa? Kuna hali maalum ambapo ruhusa ya kitendo haiwezi kukataliwa na afisa. "Hii ni pamoja na: ""Mti ni wafu, mgonjwa au upepo kuanguka, ni silviculturally kukomaa, ikiwa mti si kutokea juu ya mteremko mkali, ni hatari kwa maisha au mali, ni kuzuia trafiki, mti ni kiasi kikubwa kuharibiwa au kuharibiwa na moto, umeme, mvua au sababu nyingine ya asili.""" Kwa mujibu wa sheria za nchi, mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti. Kwa kuwa ni vigumu kutimiza muda uliopangwa, ruhusa hiyo inapaswa kutolewa. Ni mara ngapi ruhusa yaweza kupatikana? Kibali ni mdogo kwa hekta moja kwa wakati mmoja. Msimamizi wa eneo anaweza kutoa mamlaka mara mbili tu kwa mwaka kwa mtu yeyote katika eneo moja. Hii inazuia watu wengi sana kupata mtu kukata mti juu ya ardhi hiyo hiyo na kutoa sababu zisizo za busara. "Kila mtu ana wajibu wa kupanda mti: wazo lote la kuhifadhi mti litashindwa ikiwa watu bila kuhitaji adhabu yoyote wanapata ruhusa ya kukata, kuanguka au kuondoa mti, kwa sababu kila mtu atakuja na sababu nyingine ya mwisho ya kukata mti.""" Sheria ya Uhifadhi wa Miti imeweka kwamba mtu yeyote anayepata ruhusa muhimu ya kuondoa au kukata au kuhisi mti, ni wajibu kupanda idadi na aina ya miti katika eneo ambalo mti huo umekatwa au kuondolewa. Mtu anapaswa kuanza kazi ya maandalizi katika siku thelathini baada ya kuchukua idhini kutoka afisa Mti. Ikiwa mtu huyo anashindwa kufanya hivyo basi afisa wa Mti lazima afanye mti huo kupandwa na afisa anaweza kupata gharama inayohitajika kutoka kwa mtu huyo. Adhabu na Utaratibu: Zaidi ya wajibu wa afisa, ni jukumu letu kwa asili kuangalia kama mtu anafuata miongozo au la. Kama kweli unajali kuhusu maendeleo endelevu basi ripoti. "Kutoka kwa sheria, mtu anaweza kukamatwa kwa makosa ya ""kuchukua mali"" kama vile: (i) vyombo vya kazi, (ii) vyombo vya kazi, (iii) mashua, (iv) magari, (v) wanyama au (vi) vifaa vingine vilivyotumiwa katika shughuli hiyo." """Hakuna mamlaka ya kukamata mtu yeyote bila kibali, afisa wa miti au afisa wa misitu ambaye hana cheo cha mlinzi wa misitu au afisa wa polisi." Kesi hiyo inaweza kusababisha mtu kuhukumiwa kifungo cha mwaka mmoja au faini ya zaidi ya Rs 1000 au zote mbili. Wajibu wako... Haujatajwa lakini unatarajiwa. Ni wajibu wa mtu kutoa taarifa kuhusu uhalifu wa misitu, ikiwa ni pamoja na kukata miti na kuua wanyama wa porini, na pia taarifa kuhusu moto katika misitu ya serikali. Maafisa wa Idara ya Usimamizi wa Miti na Mimea (DWOs) wanawasilisha malalamiko yao kwa Idara ya Usimamizi wa Miti na Mimea (DWOs) kwa namba ya simu 2329-56-124-678-223-678-223-678-223-678-223-678-223-678-223-678-223-678-223-678-223-678-223-678-223-678-2238-223-678-2238-223-678-2238-2238-223-678-2238-2238-2238-2238-2238-2238-2238-2238-2238-2238-2238-2238-2238-2238-2238-2238-2238-2238-2238-2238-2238-223 Msaada wa mti umewekwa ili kuhudhuria mashtaka yoyote kuhusu kukata au kuharibu miti ikiwa ni pamoja na kukata kwenye simu No. 23378513 - Mfano wa Utafiti wa Utafiti Ni kweli kwamba mtu huyo anamiliki ardhi ambayo humfanya kuwa mmiliki wa mwisho wa mali kwenye ardhi. Mti ni sehemu ya ardhi hiyo, basi kwa nini mtu hawezi kukata mti? Kwa sababu ya ardhi na kwa sababu ya asili ni mambo mawili tofauti. Unaweza kuwa na mali halisi kwenye ardhi lakini huwezi kudhibiti kupunguzwa kwake thamani. Mtu hawezi kumiliki oksijeni anayochukua na oksijeni inakuja kutoka kwa miti.