LUCKNOW, March 7 -- In a bid to mitigate the environmental impact of rapid infrastructure development, the Uttar Pradesh government is actively evaluating a plan to scientifically relocate mature trees slated for felling. The proposed policy shift comes amid growing concerns over the massive loss of green cover and the historically low survival rates of compensatory plantations, said officials. The feasibility of the initiative was the focal point of a recent high-level meeting chaired by chief secretary SP Goyal. The session brought together senior officials from key departments, including forest, agriculture, horticulture, public works (PWD) and housing, to map out a more sustainable approach to urban expansion. Officials pointed out that while tree translocation is technically feasible, the state currently does not have the specialised machines required for uprooting and shifting fully grown trees in a scientific manner. It was also noted that the cost of relocating a tree is significantly higher than cutting it and planting a new sapling. Despite the cost concerns, the chief secretary is understood to have directed the departments to prepare a detailed plan for executing the proposal, including the procurement of appropriate machinery and identification of trees suitable for relocation. Director horticulture, Bhanu Prakash Ram, who was privy to the meeting, said it was for the forest department to chalk out a plan and execute the same. "The CS has asked the forest department to see that permission for felling trees is given only in the cases where relocating the same is not possible and he said necessary plans for the same should be worked out," he said. The move assumes significance as development works such as road widening, infrastructure projects and urban expansion often require the felling of large numbers of trees. Officials said that with the survival rate of planted saplings in the state hovering at around 30-32%, cutting down healthy trees has been a setback for maintaining and improving green cover. "Relocating mature trees could help increase the green cover faster compared to waiting for newly planted saplings to grow," engineer-in-chief, PWD, AK Dwivedi said, adding: "However, officials indicated that the expense involved in relocating a mature tree could be higher than the current compensatory plantation cost." "At present, when a tree is felled for a project, we, as a PWD department, have to deposit the cost of planting 10 saplings for every tree cut with the forest department after a joint survey," pointed out Dwivedi who also attended the CS's meeting. During the meeting, it was suggested that permission for cutting trees should be granted only in cases where their translocation is not feasible. Trees with a circumference of around one metre to 1.2 metres may be considered suitable for relocation, depending on species and site conditions. Departments have now been asked to work out the operational and financial aspects of the proposal before a final policy decision is taken. Officials said if implemented, the initiative could mark a shift in how the state balances infrastructure development with environmental conservation. In some individual cases, the Supreme Court and the high courts too have ordered translocation of trees from time to time in recent years. The push to explore relocation of trees, instead of cutting them, has also come against the backdrop of recent controversies over large-scale felling of trees in the state. Several incidents of large-scale tree felling have drawn judicial scrutiny and public protests in UP. A Forest Survey of India (FSI) report found that 17,607 trees were cut in Ghaziabad, Meerut and Muzaffarnagar for a proposed 111-km Kanwar Yatra route in 2025, prompting the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to take serious note of the alleged violations. Earlier, a proposal linked to the 2020 Defence Expo in Lucknow triggered protests over the possible felling of 64,000 trees. The Supreme Court had then asked the state to ensure that trees were not cut, while the government clarified that it had no such plan. More recently, in March 2025, the Supreme Court came down heavily on the illegal felling of 454 trees near Mathura-Vrindavan, calling it a "crime against humanity" and imposing a Rs 1 lakh fine per tree. Officials say rising public concern and court scrutiny over such incidents have strengthened discussions within the government on alternatives like tree translocation instead of felling...