The Indian Grey Hornbill, which is relatively common for a hornbill, is known to haunt thick canopies sometimes even in the metros. It was regularly sighted in the thick canopy of the Victoria Jubilee Museum. But several of these trees have been cut to make space for a new block to house a State museum.
The Grey Hornbill is unique as the female bird completely seals itself in a hole in the tree to hatch eggs.
The Black-Crowned Night Heron is also unique as it nests in trees far away from water bodies. These social birds roost in colonies in nests which are more platforms of sticks. A flock of these herons live in a colony in trees in the All India Radio (AIR) staff quarters.
Large trees are the address of several beings that have co-existed with people even in the busy cities. Development always leads to the cutting of trees. Every time a tree is cut several birds and animals that contribute to the complex eco-system and add to biodiversity are rendered homeless.
Former Mayor of Vijayawada Jandhyala Shankar has decided to protest against the “indiscriminate cutting of trees in the city”. He cites the example of a tree that is over 50 years near the Bishop Azaraiah School to prove his point. He even sent to The Hindu a picture of the tree which has been reduced to just a branchless stump.
Undertook aerial seeding
It was when Dr. Shankar was mayor that choppers were hired for aerial seeding of the hills in and around the city. The same task was repeated by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for the aerial seeding of hills in the CRDA limits in August last.
Dr. Shankar said there was absolutely no need to cut the shade-bearing tree near a newly constructed shopping complex. This was done for the benefit of shop owners, he alleged. The tree was neither an obstacle for widening of the road or drainage, he said.
Worried about the scores of trees being cut in the city for road development, Dr. Shankar pointed out that in Russia, several agencies had to grant permission for the felling of a tree. Not even a single agency was accountable for the trees in India, he said.
Dr. Shankar said that he was glad to learn that roads leading to the house of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in Chennai were not widened because that would have meant the cutting of several big and old trees. Leaders were only talking about protecting the environment, but were rarely following what they preached, he said.
Tree lovers want the Government to protect big and old trees even if it meant inconvenience to the public as they were invaluable and could not be replaced.
