The Tamil Nadu government has issued a new order making it mandatory to obtain the District Collector’s permission before cutting down palm trees. The order was released by the Agriculture Department, following an earlier announcement made in the 2022 Agriculture Budget by Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister M. R. K. Panneerselvam.
According to the guidelines, a district-level committee chaired by the District Collector and comprising the Revenue Divisional Officer, Assistant Collector, Assistant Director of Agriculture, and Assistant Director of the Khadi Village Industries Board will scrutinize applications. The Collector may also include additional members if required. A similar block-level monitoring committee will also function under the Collector’s leadership.
Applications to cut palm trees — whether from individuals, farmers, or public sector undertakings — must be submitted through the Uzhavar App of the Agriculture Department. Circle officers will verify and submit reports on each application, which will then be considered by the district-level committee. The committee is mandated to meet once every three months, or as required, and communicate its decision within a month.
To ensure conservation, the guidelines stipulate that for every palm tree felled, 10 saplings must be planted. Committee officials will have authority to inspect during the cutting process, and transport of felled trees will require valid permits issued by the Director of Horticulture.
Tamil Nadu is estimated to have around five crore palm trees, supporting nearly three lakh farming and labour families, while also contributing to foreign exchange earnings through exports. To protect this vital resource, the government has been implementing the Palm Development Movement for the past three years.
The government has also directed district and block-level committees to conduct awareness programmes to prevent indiscriminate felling and promote palm tree cultivation.
