KOCHI: When planting them, the Great Cochin Development Authority (GCDA), exhibited much hype and fanfare. However, now the Nakshathravanam trees representing the 27 zodiac signs planted at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium are in a neglected state. The GCDA has failed to show the same enthusiasm with maintenance of the trees.
The project is said to be first-of-its-kind planned by any agency. Twenty-seven saplings were planted on over 25 cents of land near the stadium but now the plants are infested with weeds and no one is bothered about watering them.
“There was much hype on the media when the project kicked off but after a few months the GCDA cast a blind eye to its maintenance. Now, the garden is infested with weeds and many plants are on the verge of death,” said a person associated with the maintenance of the Jawaharalal Nehru Stadium. Even the fencing surrounding the garden is ruined and has now turned into a dumping yard. “The lack of proper care to these trees is the main cause for its present condition. The authorities should take more interest in this project and should come forward to make it more greener,” Rajesh, a resident of the area said.
Tree such as ‘Kanjiram’, ‘Nelli’, ‘Athi’, ‘Njaval’, ‘Karingali’, ‘Karimaram’, ‘Bamboo’, ‘Arayal’, ‘Nangu’, ‘Peral, ‘Plasu’, ‘Ithi’, ‘Ambazham’, ‘Koovalam’, ‘Neermaruthu’, ‘Vayyangatha’, ‘Elanji’,’Vetti’, ‘Vella Pine’, ‘Attu Vanchi’, ‘Plavu’, ‘Erukku’, ‘Vahni’, ‘Kadambu’, ‘Mavu’, ‘Karimpana’ and ‘Iluppa’ were planted on the World Environment Day June 5, 2015.
When contacted, former GCDA Chairman G Venugopal passed the buck to the new governing council of GCDA.
“ It is the new governing council which has to maintain the trees. Though we maintained it properly, no one is bothered about its maintenance now. Even the plight of laser show near Subhash park is in the verge of extinction,” said Venugopal.
When contacted, the GCDA official said that the issues will be sorted out. “We will not destroy the trees. Replanting the trees to some other space which is owned by us will be done soon. If that is not possible, steps will be taken to maintain them,” said a GCDA official.