“Remove seemai karuvelam trees or face action”

Plan to initiate proceedings through sub-divisional magistrates, says Madurai Collector

Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao (second from left) and Corporation Commissioner Sandeep Nanduri (left) inspecting removal of seemai karuvelam trees in Madurai.

Those failing to remove the invasive weed seemai karuvelam from their properties despite repeated reminders will be included as respondents in the ongoing case regarding the issue in Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, warned Madurai Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao here on Saturday.

Interacting with media after inspecting the removal of

seemai karuvelam trees by Madurai Corporation in a private property, Mr. Rao said the district administration was also planning to initiate proceedings under Section 133 of the CrPC through sub-divisional magistrates on such violators.

Highlighting that the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court was closely monitoring the complete removal of seemai karuvelam trees from the district, Mr. Rao said while the district administration was on course to remove the growth from poramboke lands, the growth in private properties remained a concern.

“Out of the roughly 49,300 hectares of

seemai karuvelam growth estimated in the district, only around 20 % is in poramboke lands while the remaining is in private lands,” he said.

Pointing out that seemai karuvelam growth in 5,652 hectares had been removed so far in the district, he said that more stringent measures were in the pipeline to push towards complete removal of the weed.

“Similarly, allowing seemai karuvelam growth can be viewed as a environmental nuisance and consequently as a public nuisance as well. Hence, we are also planning to take action under Section 133 of CrPC (for nuisance),” he added.

He said that the district administration had been issuing notices to owners of the properties that have seemai karuvelam growth. “So far, we have issued 15,173 notices, of which the people concerned in 2,523 notices have completed the removal,” he said.

He said that in the remaining cases where the property owner have failed to remove seemai karuvelam trees, the local bodies concerned or the Public Works Department had taken up the removal based on the availability of resources.

“In such cases, the property owner will be fined twice the cost incurred on the removal,” he said

“We have imposed a total fine of around ₹9.5 lakh in such cases. If they fail to pay the fine, proceedings will be initiated under the R.R Act (Tamil Nadu Revenue Recovery Act) as announced earlier,” he said.