Jaipur, March 9 – Aiming to implement a decision to enact a special law for the conservation and protection of Khejri trees and other important tree species, the state government on Monday constituted a high-level committee to draft a "Tree Protection Bill."
The committee held its first meeting on Monday under the chairmanship of Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel at his residence.
The meeting was attended by Revenue Minister Hemant Meena, Forest Minister Sanjay Sharma, the Principal Secretary of the Law Department, the Secretary of the Revenue Department, and legal experts.
During the meeting, the committee reviewed existing tree protection laws in other states to develop a strong and legally robust framework that minimizes the scope for litigation.
Before finalizing the draft bill, suggestions from relevant departments, legal experts, and other stakeholders are being sought.
The committee's next meeting is scheduled for March 11.
Currently, under the Rajasthan Tenancy Act, tree felling is permitted on agricultural land, with penalties imposed for illegal cutting.
However, the proposed law will introduce stricter provisions for the protection of trees across all types of land, including allotted, converted, acquired, and inhabited (non-agricultural) lands.
Under the proposed framework, only the minimum number of trees necessary may be removed from non-agricultural land, and that too with permission from an authorised officer.
The Rajasthan government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, is committed to environmental protection and the conservation of Khejri trees, which hold deep cultural and ecological significance in the state, said officials.