Revenue Department imposes ₹60,000 fine on resident for felling tree in Coimbatore

The Revenue Department has imposed a total fine of ₹60,000 on a man from Kurichi in Coimbatore for felling a tree while he was granted permission to prune the branches alone. Madukkarai Tahsildar M. Senthilkumar imposed the fine on S. Subramaniam, a resident of Kurichi Housing Unit, Phase II, for cutting a pungai tree.

In response to an application filed by the resident requesting permission to cut the tree that stood on the side of a road, the Tahsildar in an order on September 24 permitted pruning of the branches alone. However, the tree was cut and its roots were dug using an excavator on October 1, 2026.

K. Syed of non-governmental organisation Green Care, who intervened in the felling, said Sabari Raju, Assistant Commissioner of the Coimbatore Corporation’s south region, lodged a complaint at the Sundarapuram police in connection with the incident, for which a CSR was issued on the same day.

Meanwhile, based on the instructions of the District Collector, the Tahsildar imposed the fine on the resident, out of which ₹50,000 was paid to the State government and ₹10,000 towards the Armed Forces Flag day Fund. The Revenue Department also took the excavator into custody.

Mr. Syed alleged that the applicant had submitted a petition seeking permission to cut the tree during a grievances redress meeting held at the collectorate, which in turn was forwarded to the Tahsildar.

“Applications seeking permission to cut trees should not be entertained in grievance meetings as it is a platform for the public to seek intervention of authorities in genuine issues. The felled tree was aged around 30 years and it could have been protected,” he said.

Welcoming the seizure of the excavator involved in the felling, he wanted operators of such vehicles to also verify the permissions when they are contacted for works related to felling or removal of trees.