Tree Authority set up for Belagavi district

The Tree Authority has to be set up as per Section 3 of the Karnataka Preservation of Tree Act to hear appeals against orders of the Tree Officer and same has been set up for Belagavi District.

Tree Authority for Belagavi District:
Chief Conservator of Forests, Belagavi Circle – Chairman
Deputy Commissioner, Belagavi – Member
Superintending Engineer, Communication and Building, Belagavi – Member
Shri Santosh Mamadapur, Green Saviours, Belagavi – Member
Dr.Aarati Bhandare, Dentist and Environmentalist – Member.

The Tree Authority has to be set up as per Section 3 of the Karnataka Preservation of Tree Act to hear appeals against orders of the Tree Officer while Section 14 says that the appeal should be heard at least by three members of the authority and disposed of by providing reasonable opportunity to appellants to present their case.

Duties of Tree Authority.- Notwithstanding anything in the relevant Act or any other law for the time being in force, the Tree Authority shall, subject to any general or special orders of the State Government, be responsible for,-

(a) the preservation of all trees within its jurisdictions;

(b) carrying out a census of the existing trees and obtaining, whenever

considered necessary, declarations from all owners or occupants about the number

of trees in their lands;

(c) specifying the standards regarding the number and kind of trees which each

locality, type of land and premises shall have and which shall be planted subject to a

minimum of five trees per hectare in the case of rural areas;

(d) development and maintenance of nurseries, supply of seeds, saplings and

trees to persons who desire or are required to plant new trees or to replace trees

which have been felled;

(e) planting and transplanting of trees necessitated by construction of new roads

or widening of existing roads or replacement of trees which have failed to come up

along roads or for safeguarding danger to life and property;

(f) organisation of demonstration and extension services for the purposes of this

Act and assisting private and public institutions connected with planting and

preservation of trees;

(g) planting and maintaining such number of trees as may be considered

necessary according to the prescribed standards on roads, in public parks and gardens and on the banks of rivers or lakes or seashores; and

(h) undertaking such schemes or measures as may be directed from time to time

by the State Government for achieving the objects of the Act.