[Act No. 24 of 2022] [30th September,
2022] An Act further
to amend the Goa, Daman and Diu Preservation of Trees Act, 1984 (Act No. 6 of
1984). Be it enacted by the Legislative
Assembly of Goa in the Seventy-third Year of the Republic of India as
follows:-- (1)
This
Act may be called the Goa Preservation of Trees (Amendment) Act, 2022. (2)
It
shall come into force at once. In the Goa, Daman and Diu Preservation
of Trees Act, 1984 (Act 6 of 1984) (hereinafter referred to as the
"principal Act"), in the long title, for the expression "Union
territory of Goa, Daman and Diu", the words "State of Goa" shall
be substituted. In section 1 of the principal Act,- (i)
in
sub-section (1), the expression, "Daman and
Diu" shall be omitted; (ii)
in
sub-section (2), for the expression "Union territory of Goa, Daman and Diu",
the words "State of Goa" shall be substituted. In section 2 of the principal Act, in
clauses (c) and (e), the expression, "Daman and Diu" shall be
omitted; In section 3 of the principal Act,-- (i) for sub-section (1),
the following subsection shall be substituted, namely:-- "(1) The Government shall, by notification,
constitute a Tree Authority for the State of Goa."; (ii) for sub-section (2),
the following subsection shall be substituted, namely:-- "(2) The Tree Authority shall consist of the
following members, namely:-- (i) Chief Secretary -- Chairperson (ii) Secretary (Forests) -- Member. (iii) Principal Chief Conservator of
Forests -- Member. (iv) Chief Wildlife Warden -- Member. (v) Four Members of the Legislative
Assembly of Goa nominated by the Government -- Members. (vi) two representatives of the local
bodies nominated by the Government -- Members. (vii) Secretary (Urban Development) -- Member. (viii) Secretary (Revenue) -- Member. (ix) Secretary (Panchayats) -- Member. (x) Member Secretary, Goa State
Biodiversity Board -- Member. (xi) Conservator of Forests
(Conservation) -- Member Secretary." For section 7 of the principal Act, the
following section shall be substituted, namely:-- "7. Duties of
Tree Authority Not withstanding anything contained in
any other law for the time being in force the Tree Authority shall, subject to
any general or special order of the Government,- (a)
"suggest
measures for preservation of green cover including tree cover within its
jurisdiction; (b)
monitor
the extent of green cover including tree cover within its jurisdiction as per
biannual report on state of forest and tree cover published by Forest Survey of
India, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India; (c)
specify
standards regarding kind of tree which each locality, type of land and premises
shall have; (d)
create
an enabling environment for development and maintenance of nurseries, supply of
seeds, saplings and trees to persons who are required to plant new trees or to
replace trees which have been felled; (e)
monitor
progress of plantations carried out in lieu of trees permitted to be felled or
disposed off by Tree Officer; (f)
facilitate
organization of demonstration and extension services for the purposes of this
Act and assisting private and public institutions connected with planting and
preservation of trees; (g)
undertake
such schemes or measures as may be directed from time to time by the Government
for achieving the objects of this Act; (h)
undertake
critical study of the proposals involving felling of trees spread over an area
admeasuring more than one hectare under its jurisdiction for construction of
buildings, roads, factories, irrigation works, laying out of electric,
telephone, telegraphic and other transmission lines with regard to protection
of existing trees and planting of more trees, wherever possible; and (i)
advise
on promotion, demarcation, acquisition and development of land as wood lots,
gardens, parks and picnic spots in cities, towns and villages for the use and
recreation of public." In section 15 of the principal Act, in
sub-section (1), for the words "thirty days", the words sixty days
from the date of such order or direction" shall be substituted. In section 22 of the principal Act, in
clause (a), in sub-clause (i), for the words "rupees twenty five
thousand", the words "rupees fifty thousand" shall be
substituted. In section 30 of the principal Act, the
words "the Government" shall be omitted.GOA PRESERVATION OF TREES (AMENDMENT) ACT,
2022
PREAMBLE