Jaipur, March 10 -- The Rajasthan government has formed a high-level committee to draft a Tree Protection Bill aimed at safeguarding the state tree khejri and other significant species across the state. "To implement its announcement of bringing a special legislation for tree conservation, the government has set up a high-level panel to prepare the draft of the proposed Tree Protection Bill," states a release from the chief minister's office on Monday. The committee held its first meeting on Monday morning at the Jaipur residence of parliamentary affairs minister Jogaram Patel, who chaired the discussion. Revenue and colonisation minister Hemant Meena, forest minister Sanjay Sharma, the principal secretary of the law department, the secretary of the revenue department, and legal experts also attended. During the deliberations, the panel conducted a comparative study of tree protection laws in other states to frame robust, litigation-free legislation for Rajasthan. Officials said the draft bill will be finalised after consulting concerned departments, legal experts, and stakeholders. The next meeting is scheduled for March 11, the release added. Currently, provisions for permission to fell trees on agricultural land and penalties for illegal cutting exist only under tenancy laws. The proposed legislation will expand the scope with stringent protections for trees on all non-agricultural land, including allotted, converted, acquired, and residential plots. Only the minimum required trees may be removed, and only with prior approval from the authorised authority. On February 22, the government announced plans to enact a law protecting khejri. Revenue minister Hemant Meena has stated that the government is taking significant steps towards environmental conservation and the protection of sacred sites across the state. As part of these efforts, 2,842 hectares of government sivaychak land have been reserved for oran purposes - traditional community forest lands considered ecologically and culturally significant. The move aims to strengthen environmental preservation and safeguard faith-based ecological zones....