Jaipur: In a major victory for environmentalists and saints who launched an 11-day agitation a few days ago, the Rajasthan government has started working to introduce legislation to protect Khejri, the designated state tree of Rajasthan. Following Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma's assurance in the Assembly, a committee has been formed to draft the Tree Protection Act.
According to an order issued by the Cabinet Secretariat, a six-member committee chaired by Law Minister Jogaram Patel will draft the Act that includes two other ministers, the principal secretary of law, Additional Advocate General of the state, and a Rajasthan High Court advocate as members.
The committee will conduct a comparative study of applicable laws in other states, gather opinions from various stakeholders, and examine various judicial decisions and existing provisions regarding tree protection and propose a draft of the Act to the government within a month.
Currently, the Tenancy Act provides for tree-felling permission only on agricultural land and imposes penalties for illegal tree felling.
The government will now introduce a new law that will make stricter provisions for tree protection on all types of non-agricultural lands, including allotted, converted, acquired, and inhabited lands.
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Notably, environmentalists, saints, and people of the Bishnoi community had launched a massive movement in Bikaner a few days ago, alleging the felling of thousands of Khejri trees in Bikaner and other desert districts to establish solar power plants. Saints and environmentalists held a sit-in and fast for 11 days in Bikaner to demand a specific law against the felling of Khejari.
Following this, on February 12th, the Revenue Department imposed an immediate ban on the cutting of Khejri trees across Rajasthan.
