Kerala - Kochi   

President's office orders planting of saplings

Staff Reporter

SAD PLIGHT: A Gulmohar tree that was trimmed at Marine Drive in Kochi. The President's office has asked the district administration to plant 30 saplings in place of the cut trees. Photo: H. Vibhu

KOCHI: President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's office on Thursday directed the Ernakulam District Collector to plant 10 times the number of trees, that were badly trimmed at Marine Drive in the name of providing security to the President on his arrival here on December 19.

P.M. Nair, Press Secretary to the President, called up the District Collector and conveyed the directive that the saplings should be planted before the arrival of the President in Kochi. Following the intervention of the President's office, the district administration issued orders for planting 30 saplings in place of the Gulmohar trees that were trimmed.

The President's office has also asked the District Collector to report back on the planting of the saplings.

On receiving the orders, the District Collector issued directions to the Executive Engineer of the Roads division of the PWD to have the saplings planted. `Greens' and environmentalists from the city had earlier taken up the issue with the highest office in the country to save the trees of Kochi.

Those who raised the issue by posting e-mails to the President on his official website included individuals and associations like former president of the Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad M.K. Prasad, Association for Environment Protection, and the All-Kerala River Protection Council.

"Kochi has been fast losing its trees. There has been no efforts to replace the trees cut and plant saplings in the past 50 years," said Prof. Prasad. Prof. Prasad, way back in 1952, was witness to the mass planting of Avenue trees along the Park Avenue.

Prof. Prasad, in his message to the President, pointed out "a few trees adjoining the parapet along the Marine Drive have been mercilessly cut down reportedly for the safe landing of the helicopter in connection with your scheduled visit to Kochi.

A little trimming of some branches would have been sufficient to meet the requirements."

"As a tree lover and protector of Nature, I request your good self to give directions to the district administration not to take up indiscriminate cutting of trees in the city in the future," the message said.

The Environment Protection Council, while bringing the issue to the notice of the President, also sought action against the erring officials. Though the environmentalists expressed happiness at the directive of the President's office for the planting of saplings, they also sought action against those who ordered the felling.

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