Prakruthi Samrakshana Samithi, a collective of environmentalists here, has urged the government to bring in a new legislation to make all natural resources, including laterite, metals, mineral and granites, under public ownership.
Observing that there was no other effective or practical way to ensure the protection of nature and its precious resources from the uncontrolled exploitation by private forces, the workers of the forum, who gathered in the city for a public function in connection with the Earth Day, renewed their pledge to commit themselves for the protection of the nature.
A tree-cleaning drive was also undertaken by the Samithi in collaboration with the Forest and Wildlife Department at part of the Earth Day on Tuesday.
A team of 25 volunteers travelled around the city, starting from the Public Library premises at 10 a.m., cleaned the wayside trees by removing the posters, banners and other advertising materials stuck on them during the drive.
The volunteers also pulled out several kilos of iron nails hammered on the trees by illegal advertisers from around the city.
“Materials, including thin iron cables and tin sheets, removed from the trees were transferred to the Forest Conservator’s office at Mathottam after the drive,” said T.V. Rajan, Samithi district secretary. The cleaning drive was supervised by the Deputy Range Forest Officer K. Baburaj and Section Forest Officer P. Prabhakaran.
According to Mr. Rajan, the team has also decided to extend the cleaning drive to the trees in the suburbs of the city as well. “To begin with we have decided to clean the trees on the Bypass from Ramanattukara to the city,” he said.
A public meeting with the theme ‘Nagaram Harithabhamakkuka,’ (Lest make our city greener) was presided over by Mr. Rajan. Noted Gandhian and environmentalist Thayat Balan inaugurated the programme. Sasthra Sahithya Parishad worker and conservation activist Mohanan Manal read out the Earth Day message to the gathering. Swathanthra Samara Sainika Sangam State president P. Vasu and Forest Range Officer N. Gopalan among others spoke on the occasion.
