If you see a tree being cut illegally anywhere in Tamil Nadu, you can report it on the Green Tamil Nadu Mission helpline, 1800-599-7634, which the mission’s website lists for reporting tree felling and for help with planting. In Chennai, the Corporation’s 1913 line and the Namma Chennai app are the other routes for trees on public roads and in parks.
The northeast monsoon makes this a busy season for trees: branches come down in wind, and residents rush to prune before storms. This guide covers the state’s planting drive, how to go about pruning or removing a tree legally, and how to get saplings for your street.
The state’s planting target
The Green Tamil Nadu Mission, run by the Forest Department, aims to raise the state’s tree and forest cover from about 23.69% to 33% by 2031. The mission’s site gives a ten-year target of 265 crore seedlings and a 2026-27 target of 3.48 crore. It also publishes geo-tagged planting counts by department, which by mid-October showed the Forest Department, rural development and other government departments as the biggest planters, with trusts, NGOs and private planters contributing smaller numbers.
The mission also lists more than 10,600 registered volunteers and over 55,000 sponsored trees. Its State Green Committee and District Green Committees are tasked with the protection and management of trees. The mission is overseen by a senior Forest Department officer who heads the mission corporation, according to the Forest Department website.
Getting saplings and joining a drive
- Dial-A-Tree and Plant A Tree apps: linked from the mission site, they let you order seedlings from Forest Department nurseries and record what you have planted.
- Volunteer: any individual or organisation can register as a volunteer on the mission site.
- Geo-tag your planting: upload details of trees you plant so that they count towards the district’s figures.
- Farmers and landowners: the mission runs agroforestry, sandalwood and silver oak registration schemes through online forms.
For a street or colony, the best time to plant is early in the monsoon, once the soil is soaked. Choose native species suited to Chennai’s coastal soil, such as neem, pungai, vaagai, naval and poovarasu, rather than fast-growing ornamental trees that break in storms. Protect each sapling with a tree guard and assign someone to water it through the dry months.
Pruning or removing a tree: what to do
Trees on roads, pavements, parks and public land in Chennai belong to the public authority, not to the nearest house owner. Do not cut or hire someone to cut them on your own.
- Write to your zonal office. Send a written request to the Greater Chennai Corporation zonal office for your area, explaining which tree, where it is, and why it needs pruning or removal (for example, branches touching power lines, a lean towards a house, or a rotten trunk). Add photos.
- Power lines: if branches touch electricity cables, also alert TNPDCL, the state power distribution company, so that the line is switched off before any work.
- Private land: trees inside your own compound are your responsibility, but felling a large tree still needs care. Check with the zonal office whether permission is needed for your case before cutting, and keep the reply in writing.
- Large-scale removal: projects that need to remove many trees, such as road widening or building work, go through the District Green Committee process, which is meant to review whether felling is necessary and require replanting.
Pruning should be done by trained workers. Topping a tree, where the whole crown is lopped off, weakens it and makes it more likely to fall in the next storm.
Reporting illegal felling
Illegal felling often happens early in the morning or on holidays. If you see it:
- Note the location, time, and any vehicle numbers, and take photos from a safe distance.
- Call the Green Tamil Nadu Mission helpline 1800-599-7634.
- Call GCC on 1913 or file a complaint on the Namma Chennai app, listed on the Corporation’s pages.
- If the work continues, call the local police station.
Keep the complaint number. Follow up with the zonal office if nothing happens in a few days.
Fallen trees this monsoon
The Corporation has deployed ₹65 crore worth of equipment for monsoon preparedness this year, including machinery for clearing fallen trees and branches. If a tree falls on a road or vehicle, call 1913 and stay away from any downed electric lines. The GCC website carries the latest rain advisories.
Quick answers
Where do I report illegal tree cutting in Tamil Nadu?
Call the Green Tamil Nadu Mission helpline 1800-599-7634, or GCC’s 1913 line in Chennai.
Can I cut the tree in front of my house?
No. Trees on roads and pavements are public property. Ask the GCC zonal office in writing.
How can I get free or cheap saplings?
Use the Dial-A-Tree app linked from the Green Tamil Nadu Mission site.
What is the state’s green cover target?
33% tree and forest cover by 2031, up from about 23.69%.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
