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Tree Committee

The Tree Committee is a very important committee in the environmental protection and greening of gram panchayats . This committee manages matters related to planting, protecting and cutting down trees within the panchayat limits when necessary.

The main duties and structure of this committee, which is formed under the direction of the Local Self-Government Department and the Social Forestry Division of Kerala, are as follows:

1. Structure of the Tree Committee

The following are the members of the Tree Committee, which is usually formed at the Panchayat level:

  • Chairman: Gram Panchayat President.
  • Convener: Social Forestry Section Officer of the Forest Department (for example Section Forest Officer or Beat Forest Officer) or an officer nominated by the Panchayat Secretary.
  • Members:
    • Chairmen of the Development Affairs/Health and Education Standing Committee in the Panchayat Administrative Committee.
    • Agriculture Officer.
    • Environmental activists/public representatives (those nominated by the Panchayat).

2. Key Responsibilities

  • Permission to cut trees: Before cutting down dangerous trees in public places or along roadsides, the tree committee should visit the site and conduct an inspection. The panchayat issues permission to cut trees based on the committee's recommendation.
  • Road Development and Tree Felling: When trees have to be felled for the development of Public Works Department (PWD) or Panchayat roads, this committee decides how many trees should be planted in return.
  • Compensatory Afforestation: The committee should ensure that the law is implemented that when a tree is cut down for development purposes, ten or more saplings must be planted in its place.
  • Planting and Protection: Prepare plans to plant and protect suitable tree saplings within the panchayat limits in collaboration with the forest department on occasions like Environment Day.

3. Things the public should know

  • If the trees in one's own land are standing in a way that poses a danger to the public/passengers, the Panchayat can, based on the report of the Tree Committee, recommend their removal.
  • Cutting down trees in public places without permission is punishable. The Tree Committee has the authority to prevent such violations.