Guwahati, April 12 -- The Meghalaya High Court on Wednesday ordered the Chief Secretary of the state to form a committee advising the state on halting indiscriminate tree felling statewide.

Hearing a PIL, a bench of Chief Justice IP Mukerji and Justice W Diengdoh issued the directive, stressing the urgent need for a structured approach to protect Meghalaya's forests and ecological balance in the state.

The development came into action following a report submitted to the Court, revealing that Range Forest Officers or Beat Forest Officers were processing applications and recommending extensive tree felling based on their assessment that the trees posed a threat to life and property.

The court ordered to form the committee comprising the ...