The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Road widening eats into greening project

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 16, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Road widening eats into greening project

By P. Oppili

CHENNAI, APRIL 15. The fate of nearly 20 saplings on a traffic island near Valluvar Kottam hangs in balance. With the police seeking to widen the road, the Corporation is in the process of demolishing part of the island. This has come as a disappointment to those taking care of these saplings.

Members of the Nungambakkam Exnora Club, a non-governmental organisation, said that as part of its `Green Nungambakkam' programme, the club and a private firm had planted saplings in various parts of this area in September last. A little over 1,000 saplings were planted on 10 roads, including those in residential localities, such as Jayalakshmipuram.

On the island at the junction of the Tirumalai Pillai Road and Kodambakkam High Road, the club had planted about 20 saplings. Corporation officials had inaugurated the programme, a club member said.

A person was hired to water the saplings in the area on alternate days. The system is still being followed, N.S. Anandan, vice-president, Chennai District Exnora, said.

However, a Chennai Corporation official said the place of selection for planting the saplings was wrong. Traffic islands are not suitable for planting saplings, since they are likely to be modified depending upon the increase in volume of traffic, he said.

The Corporation will transplant the saplings from the island. Moreover, as they were planted less than a year ago, the sapling would not have strong roots, making it easy for transplantation.

The civic body had succeeded in maintaining the saplings planted along the Santhome High Road last summer. Authorities ensured regular watering and protection, leading to its undisturbed growth. It would ensure survival of these saplings too, the official said.

M.B. Nirmal, founder-president, said a Tree Authority should be formed. One must get mandatory clearance from the Authority before removing a sapling/tree on the road or residential areas.

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