The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has rolled out stringent new regulations to protect the city's trees, imposing a hefty penalty for unauthorized felling. From January 12, any individual or entity found cutting, pruning, or removing trees in public spaces without prior approval will face a fine of ₹1 lakh.
New Digital Application Process
The corporation has completely overhauled the permission system. The earlier method of submitting applications directly to the forest department has been withdrawn. Now, all applicants—both government and private—must apply online for any tree-related work within GCC limits.
Requests to remove trees, prune branches, transplant, or clear dried-up trees must be submitted through the dedicated Green Committee portal on the official GCC website or via the Namma Chennai mobile app. A senior GCC official stated that this shift to a digital platform is designed to reduce delays and ensure faster, more transparent decision-making.
Strict Penalties for Tree Damage
The new rules also specify fines for other forms of tree harm. Actions such as chopping branches without approval, driving nails into trunks, fixing advertisement boards, or tightly wrapping decorative lights around trees can attract penalties of up to ₹15,000.
The approval process will be rigorous. Once an application is received, a joint inspection will be conducted by GCC park officials, forest department personnel, and social activists. Their report will then be placed before the Green Committee for a final decision. Applicants will receive SMS alerts to track the status of their requests.
A Move to Combat Rising Temperatures
Environmentalists have welcomed the move, highlighting its critical importance for Chennai's climate. Vetriselvan of the NGO Poovulagin Nanbargal pointed out a significant regulatory gap: "Earlier, the forest department only regulated sandalwood tree felling, while cutting other trees did not require permission."
He directly linked the reduction in the city's green cover to rising urban temperatures, asserting that "imposing such rules and penalty would help reduce heat." The GCC's initiative is part of broader efforts to expand green cover through large-scale plantation drives and creating micro-forests.
However, residents like K Balakrishna from Madipakkam urge that the rule must be applied uniformly. He cited local examples where trees were cut for infrastructure projects, like the construction of an Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC), but were never replaced as per protocol. "This rule must apply to other govt departments too," he emphasized.
The corporation hopes that stricter enforcement, coupled with an efficient digital application system, will balance necessary urban development with the urgent need to preserve Chennai's precious and dwindling tree canopy.
