The Supreme Court has ruled that large-scale tree felling is a more serious offence than taking a human life, underscoring the need for strict penalties against environmental violations. A bench of Justices Abhay S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan on Tuesday upheld a penalty of ₹1 lakh per illegally cut tree, rejecting a plea from a man who felled 454 trees in the protected Taj Trapezium Zone without authorisation.
&ldquo;This brazen act of cutting 454 trees is like killing a large number of human beings, or worse than that,&rdquo; Justice Oka remarked. The court made it clear that environmental violations would not be treated leniently, stating, &ldquo;No mercy in an environmental case. Felling a large number of trees is worse than killing a human.&rdquo;
The case centred on Shiv Shankar Agarwal, who illegally cut down 454 trees in September 2024. His lawyer, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, admitted the wrongdoing and sought a reduction in the penalty, calling it excessive. He also requested permission for tree replantation at an alternate location. The court declined to lower the fine but permitted plantation efforts in nearby areas to aid environmental restoration.
A report from the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) revealed that 422 of the felled trees were on private land at Dalmia Farm along Vrindavan Chatikara Road, while 32 were on a roadside strip designated as a protected forest. The Supreme Court took serious note of the violation of its previous orders and initiated contempt proceedings against Agarwal.
The CEC recommended that the Uttar Pradesh forest department impose penalties under the Uttar Pradesh Protection of Trees Act, 1976. Additionally, it suggested action under the Indian Forest Act, 1972, for the illegal cutting of trees in a protected forest.
This ruling reinforces the judiciary&rsquo;s stance on environmental conservation, signalling that unlawful deforestation will have severe consequences.
&nbsp;

Supreme Court upholds ₹1 lakh fine per tree, warns against environmental violations

SC: Felling Trees Worse Than Killing a Human

Supreme Court upholds ₹1 lakh fine per tree, warns against environmental violations

March 26, 2025 | 09:03 IST