PWD submits tree removal details

The Public Works Department on Friday submitted before the Madras High Court Bench here an exhaustive list of locations from where karuvelam (Prosopis juliflora) trees considered harmful to the ecology since they turn the land dry by sucking too much of groundwater besides poisoning it had been removed from river courses and waterbodies.

Additional Advocate General K. Chellapandian submitted the list before the First Bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice V. Dhanapalan who were seized of a contempt of court application against the Chief Secretary, Environment and Forest Secretary, Public Works Department Secretary, Madurai Collector and Corporation Commissioner among others.

C. Anand Raj of Equal Right, a non-governmental organisation here, had filed the contempt application through his counsel R. Alagumani for alleged non-compliance of an order passed by a Division Bench of Justice R. Sudhakar and Justice V.M. Velumani on January 9 directing the officials to remove karuvelam trees from all waterbodies and river courses in the State.

After accepting the report filed by M. Muthupandian, Executive Engineer, Public Works Department (Periyar Vaigai Division), the First Bench gave a further period of four weeks to the officials to proceed with the work and file a progress report along with supporting photographs. The judges also directed the Registry to list the matter after a month for reporting compliance.

In his report, Mr. Muthupandian stated that karuvelam trees spread over an area of 4,51,600 square metres were removed in the financial year 2013-14 ever since the court passed orders in January. Trees spread over 2,40,000 square metres were removed from Vaigai river in Thenur and Kodimangalam areas, and trees covering around 1.52 lakh square metres were removed from a link canal near Vaigai dam. Also, trees spread over 41,38,834 square metres had been removed so far in the current year, he added.

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PWD submits tree removal details