The Kerala (Forest) Amendment Bill which relaxes restrictions on cutting sandal trees on private plots has received the assent of Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Forest Minister A.K. The amendment Bill, which was passed by the Assembly earlier and sent to the Governor for his assent, eases the restrictions on cutting sandal trees on private lands and grants permission to the landowners to sell their sandal trees through the Forest department. Sandal trees are a major focus in the ‘Tree Banking’ scheme launched by the government for enhancing tree cover on private properties, the Minister said. Current situationAt present, landowners are not permitted to cut and sell sandal trees on their properties. There also exists a situation where cases are registered against the landowner in the event of the theft of sandal trees.

Source: The Hindu February 05, 2026 15:32 UTC