In Brief
The Supreme Court considered Himachal Pradesh's request to resume silviculture felling operations after a 22-year ban on tree cutting imposed for forest protection. The Court balanced conservation with ecological necessity: while maintaining the protective ban, it permitted limited experimental silviculture felling on a pilot basis, restricted to three specific forest types below 1500 metres elevation. Strict conditions apply: compartments capped at 20 hectares annually, retention of significant mature trees as seed sources, direct execution by government agencies, videographic documentation, mandatory replanting, and expert committee oversight with six-monthly reports. The Court modified its earlier orders solely to this extent, allowing careful assessment of whether controlled felling promotes or hinders forest regeneration.
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