TIRUVANNAMALAI
Around 20 trees along the ‘girivalam path’ in Tiruvannamalai have withered in the last few weeks. Environmental activists and a few residents suspect that there is a bid to destroy trees by using chemicals.
“In the last two-and-a-half-months, around 20 trees have perished along the ‘girivalam’ path. Many of these trees are 15 years to 30 years old. Except a few, most of them are tamarind trees,” said an environment activist. Many of these trees were located from Adi Annamalai to the taluk police station.
The activist, along with a few other residents and environmental activists, suspect that some residents and shopkeepers might have used chemicals to destroy trees in front of their houses or shops.
“A roadside dweller told us that some persons used an iron rod to dig up a hole below the tree and poured acid into it. This can kill a tree,” he said.
‘56 trees missing’
The activist pointed out that the contractor of the ‘girivalam’ path-widening project was allegedly involved in destroying trees after a recent incident in which an earthmover was deployed to pull down a banyan tree. This was against the order of the southern zone bench of the National Green Tribunal that clearly stated that not a single tree should be cut for the project, he said.
A resident of Adi Annamalai said that as per a survey conducted in February 2017, 56 trees were ‘missing’ along the ‘girivalam’ path. “We photographed and catalogued 1,272 trees along the path and submitted it to the court. We found that 56 trees were missing. In some places, we spotted only the stumps, while in others, debarking had been done,” he said.
This issue of trees being destroyed using chemicals was taken up with District Collector K.S. Kandasamy. “We will be undertaking a survey of trees along the ‘girivalam’ path. If we find trees in a perishing condition, soil samples will be collected and sent for testing. We will definitely take action depending on the results of the tests,” he said.
