<p> The committee in its report had suggested amendment to the Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act (KPT) - 1976 to bring 42 different species of trees including several ficus species, rubber, yellow bamboo, mango, guava, jack fruit, sapota, cashew among others, from the ambit of the Act. <br /><br />“The proposal has now been stayed by the State government. The recommendation will now be studied and discussed in detail by environmentalist before taking a final decision,” Western Ghats Task Force Chairman Ananth Hegde Ashisar told reporters in Bangalore on Friday.<br /><br />The KTP Act allowed only a few species like silver oak, coconut and ecaluptus felled without permission.<br /><br />Feeling of 42 more species would not have required prior permission of the forest department if the amendment to the legislation had been passed. <br /><br />Forest officials had justified their decision stating that it was done on request by farmer groups. Ashisar said a meeting of environmentalist would be convened within two weeks.<br /></p>
<p> The committee in its report had suggested amendment to the Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act (KPT) - 1976 to bring 42 different species of trees including several ficus species, rubber, yellow bamboo, mango, guava, jack fruit, sapota, cashew among others, from the ambit of the Act. <br /><br />“The proposal has now been stayed by the State government. The recommendation will now be studied and discussed in detail by environmentalist before taking a final decision,” Western Ghats Task Force Chairman Ananth Hegde Ashisar told reporters in Bangalore on Friday.<br /><br />The KTP Act allowed only a few species like silver oak, coconut and ecaluptus felled without permission.<br /><br />Feeling of 42 more species would not have required prior permission of the forest department if the amendment to the legislation had been passed. <br /><br />Forest officials had justified their decision stating that it was done on request by farmer groups. Ashisar said a meeting of environmentalist would be convened within two weeks.<br /></p>