TN forest dept cutting down 10,000 ‘polluting’ trees

At a time when the focus is on afforestation, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department is facing a strange situation, i.e., to deal with 'polluting trees'.

At a time when the focus is on afforestation, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department is facing a strange situation — large scale felling of cotton silk trees in reserve forest areas in this district as these trees were found be causing extensive damage to the ecology.

About 10,000 trees raised by settlers in Varushanadu, Vellimalai and Megamalai hilly reserve forests have already been cut to protect the flora and fauna, informed official sources.

They said the silk cotton trees, though providing a livelihood to the settlers, harmed the growth of herbal plants native to the

hills and also turned out to be a parasite nourishing on the moisture and nutrition of the wild trees in the forest.

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A silk cotton tree would suck water from four square metre range. Besides, when the pod of the tree bursts, it causes pollution and affects the health of birds and wild animals.

The department realised that if the rare trees, native to the hills perished, there would be a chain reaction affecting the fauna also.

Birds, squirrels and other species of animals would not get their food. The trees consumed a lot of ground water and would not allow other plants in the neighbourhood to blossom and grow, said an official.

The settlers were asked to take care of the forest, the wild animals and birds and go for afforestation by cultivating rare trees.

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But they violated the guidelines and started burning the trees for charcoal. Besides, they started raising silk cotton trees which proved disastrous, an official said.

The settlers also moved around the forest area under the guise of picking fibre pods (of silk cotton trees) and indulged in illegal activities including hunting birds, officials said.

Elephants used to visit the hilly area for mating when the forest was thick, but they also stopped as the people moved around and felt disturbed.

“We have to be alert and denude the kapok trees to protect the green cover, though it may sound paradoxical,” they said.

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The forest department planned to engage its own staff to develop the forest and vacate the settlers. It was negotiating with them through the revenue officials.

But some ruling partymen were supporting the settlers for “vote bank”, they alleged. Officials said the settlers were given an alternative site nine years back, but they did not g`o there. As an alternative, the government could lay stringent conditions.

The other options, including engaging temporary hands to grow more native trees and medicinal plants were being studied, officials said.