Karnataka plans law compelling farmers to grow trees

Forest Minister R Shankar

The Karnataka government is mulling a law that mandates growing a minimum of 20 trees on every acre of agricultural land. This is an attempt to increase the state’s green cover, said Forest Minister R Shankar on Thursday.

“We have noticed that it rains only where there are forests. Increasing green cover is essential. Farmers need to be involved in the drive,” Shankar told reporters.

“On one hand, we take up afforestation drives and on the other, farmers cut trees down,” he rued.

The government would provide farmers Rs 100 per tree as support price, the minister said.

“There is a provision for us to incentivise up to 100 trees per acre,” he said, adding that the proposed law would benefit farmers in the parched regions of north Karnataka.