CHENNAI: In order to increase the number of palm trees in the state, the Viduthalai Chiruththaikal Katchi (VCK) plans to plant palm saplings across the State and in this month alone, the party aims to plant at least one lakh saplings, said Thol Thirumavalavan, VCK president.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, he said, “Palm tree is our State tree. It has various uses and commercial values. Once the State had crores of palm trees, but now the numbers are dwindling due to indiscriminate cutting.” Apart from other commercial uses, palm trees play a vital role in maintaining the groundwater level, he observed.Thirumavalavan further said, “People have started cultivating commercial plants instead of native plants. In order to retrieve the practice of planting native plants in the State, I have decided to initiate the planting of palm trees across the State.”