Housing societies ordered to plant 2 trees for every house

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has declared it mandatory for all housing societies in Punjab to plant at least two trees in the green belt in front of each house and impose a heavy fine of Rs. 25000 for cutting a single tree.

“The Secretary Cooperative and Registrar Cooperative are ordered to issue directions to the housing societies and authorities for (i) planting at least two (2) trees in the green belt in front of each house mentioning in their allotment letters and by-laws of the society (ii) impose heavy penalties and punishments for cutting the same at least Rs.25,000 per tree and to (iii) monitor the trees through respective officers of the society/authority. The treatment and maintenance of the trees will be the sole responsibility of the society/authority concerned.”

In its 78 page judgment, Justice Jawad Hassan issued comprehensive guidelines to all federal and provincial departments in the Punjab to safely manage, conserve, sustain, maintain, protect and grow forests and plant trees in urban cities. The petitioners had approached the LHC for implementation of the National Climate Change Policy 2012, the National Forest Policy 2015, the Punjab Plantation and Maintenance of Trees Act, 1974 and the Forest Policy Statement, 1999 to increase the forest cover and plantation of trees in Pakistan and Punjab.

“Schools, colleges, higher education institutes, hospitals, parking sites etc. are specifically directed to make policy for planting trees in open spaces and waiting areas/car parks,” the judgment read. The court directed the Punjab government to make laws in imposing penalty and heavy fine for cutting, removing and damaging any tree without permission of the authority concerned.

Justice Hasan also directed all the authorities to take steps to protect, manage and conserve the forests and trees in urban areas. They should make manifest and obvious efforts, to enlarge the forests and trees in Pakistan and the Punjab. The court further asked the government to revise the requirement for planting three (3) trees per acre by the occupier of a land and the penalty of one (1) rupee per tree.

Every responsible ministry, division, department and authority etc. shall publish yearly reports in which it shall highlight the expansion of the forest area, tree plantation campaign in the urban areas and also the action taken by them in compliance of the laws.

A government officer who omits his duty would face imposition of the penalty as well as the disciplinary action. The Punjab government was also directed to revise and amend laws where clear direction and command is not entrusted to any authority. Due to the efforts of the government and other departments, this year massive tree plantation took place. The same or more effort must be done and monitored by the relevant authorities each year through proper book logging and designated officers of the area to count, monitor, manage trees every week and submit reports and status of the same to the head of the society/authority for publishing in their annual report.

The relevant authority should also number the trees to keep the track of each tree in urban areas (streets, road, parks, market and green belts). The department shall, through the media and other means, inform the public and create awareness, including lodging a complaint for any violation of the law for cutting of trees to the person concerned. The Urban Plantation Policy shall be consulted by all the departments.

The Local Government, PHA, DHA, LDA and all others authorities/societies, Secretary Forest and other relevant authorities are directed to define a mechanism for urban forestation by learning from Urban Plantation Policy.