AMID the forest department’s push to grow casuarina trees along the beaches across Maharashtra, the Centre has told it to desist from planting the exotic species along coastlines used by marine turtles for nesting. The state has also been told to remove the already-planted casuarina trees from such beaches.

The directive to states and UTs by the Union environment ministry comes as part of its National Marine Turtle Action Plan to provide safe breeding grounds to the amphibians.