Supreme Court: Cutting Trees Worse than Killing Humans

The Supreme Court fined a man Rs 1 lakh per illegally cut tree in the Taj Trapezium Zone, asserting that deforestation is worse than human murder. The court highlighted the centuries required to regenerate the ecosystem damaged by cutting 454 trees and maintained penalties despite admissions of guilt.

The Supreme Court of India has declared that cutting down a large number of trees equates to a graver offense than murder. This proclamation came as the court levied a Rs 1 lakh fine for each tree cut unlawfully in the Taj Trapezium Zone.

Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan emphasized the irreversible environmental impact of felling 454 trees, asserting that it would take at least a century to restore the green cover lost.

Despite the defendant, Shiv Shankar Agarwal, acknowledging his wrongdoing, the court refused to reduce the penalty. Additionally, they recalled a 2019 order, reinstating the necessity for permission to cut trees in certain zones.

(With inputs from agencies.)