Owerri — Imo State House of Assembly has passed a new law increasing fines for offenders of indiscriminate bush burning and illegal felling of trees in the state.

The house presided over by the Deputy SpeakeR Jonas Okeke agreed that hence forth burning of bushes and illegal felling of trees in the state would attract a fine of N5000.00 and N7,000.00.respectively.

The house said that the fine for illegal felling of trees was increased from N100 to N7000 while the fine for indiscriminate bush burning was increased from N25 to N5,000.

In their debate at the committee of the whole house before final passage, Hon Bede Eke, representing Ngor Okpala constituency, in his contribution suggested that agency should added in the new law assuring that the house do not stand to lose anything.

Hon. Josephat Emenaha, representing Njaba constituency, decried that deforestation have posed difficulties in addressing erosion menace in all part of the country, urging members to take the bill seriously.

He said the original bill as reflected in edict 1985 have witnessed disobedience from people owing to its obsolete nature, adding that the penalty should be increased to serve as deterrent to people with intention of perpetrating the act.

The chief sponsor of the bill and the Majority leader, Hon John Egbuchulam, told newsmen that the essence of the bill was to control indiscriminate bush burning, illegal felling of trees and deforestation.