TIRUNELVELI: Collector M. Karunakaran inspected removal of acacia in a couple of places under Palayamkottai Zone of Titunelveli Corporation on Tuesday as the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed the Collectors of 13 districts coming under its jurisdiction to ensure removal of the thorny bush grown in all the districts.
The Collector inspected uprooting of acacia trees grown on 9.48 acres at Kamaraj Nagar and Ambedkar Nagar in Palayamkottai.
The High Court Bench, while passing orders on a public interest litigation, directed the Tamil Nadu Government in 2013 to remove acacia grown abundantly everywhere, which caused groundwater depletion and polluted the environment. However, no tangible action was taken.
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Against this backdrop, the Madurai Bench directed the Collectors of 13 districts on December 20 last to uproot acacia grown on government and private lands, waterbodies and along the roads in the districts, with the help of local bodies, before January 10, 2017.
The court also asked the Collectors to submit reports detailing the anti-acacia operation carried out in their respective districts. .
Dr. Karunakaran said acacia grown in all places in Palayamkottai and Tirunelveli would be uprooted within 15 days and private landowners had been asked to comply with the direction of the High Court before the deadline. “Those who fail to execute the instruction will have to pay hefty fine,” he warned.
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