The Bill aims to pave the way for cutting and selling of sandalwood trees grown on private land through the Forest Department.
Published Sep 13, 2025 | 4:18 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 13, 2025 | 4:18 PM
Kerala Forest Minister AK Saseendran. (X)
Synopsis: The Kerala Cabinet approved the Forest Amendment Bill, 2025, enabling the sale of privately grown sandalwood via the Forest Department, aiming to boost cultivation. It also cleared the Wildlife Protection Amendment Bill, allowing the killing of aggressive wild animals in special cases. Additional approvals included amendments to laws on coir workers’ welfare, municipalities, panchayats, and forests.
A special meeting of the Kerala Cabinet on Saturday, 13 September, approved the draft Forest Amendment Bill, 2025, paving the way for cutting and selling of sandalwood trees grown on private land through the Forest Department.
The move, Forest Minister AK Saseendran said, is expected to encourage sandalwood cultivation in the state by ensuring farmers get market value — currently between ₹4,000 and ₹7,000 per kg — for their produce.
The Bill also proposes a provision to compound certain forest-related cases pending in courts with judicial permission.
In another significant decision, the Cabinet cleared the draft Wildlife Protection Amendment Bill, 2025 — the first attempt by any state to amend a central wild life law.
The amendment, it’s learnt, will allow the killing of aggressive wild animals entering human settlements under special circumstances, with authorisation from the Chief Wildlife Warden.
Among the other approvals were the Kerala Coir Workers Welfare Fund Amendment, and amendments to the Kerala Municipality Act, Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, and Kerala Forest Act, 1961.
(Edited by Sumavarsha, with inputs from Dileep V Kumar)
