MADURAI: In an incident reminiscent of the famed Chipko movment of the 1970s, a group of 20 environmental activists on Friday staged a protest near Athikulam in the city against plans to fell two 150-year-old black-plum trees on the roadside for highway expansion.
According to sources, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) recently took up preliminary works to expand a 5-kilometre stretch between Reserve-line junction to Oomachikulam from a two-lane to a four-lane highway. Necessary land was acquired and demolishing of buildings was underway. The NHAI was also carrying out preliminary soil-testing works. Nearly 800 trees were reportedly felled for the expansion works so far.
On Friday morning, several officials allegedly tried to cut down the 150-year-old trees located near Aathikulam junction. When environmental activists got wind of the matter, around 20 of them rushed to the spot and gheraoed the staff. They hugged the trees to prevent the trees from being felled. Later, the activists blocked the Aathikulam-New Natham road.
On information, the Tallakulam police rushed to the spot and tried to pacify the activists, who, at that time, submitted a complaint alleging that the trees were being cut down without proper permission from authorities concerned. They also requested the police to take action against the officials and also to protect the 150-year-old trees.
Speaking to Express, Tamildasan, an activist, alleged that the officials had cut down several trees in the New Natham road without proper permission and that there was no need to fell the century-old trees. He also said that a complaint was submitted to collector through his Facebook page.
“While roads leading to residential areas in the city are fraught with potholes, the authorities are busy expanding a road which has minimal traffic,” he said. Responding to the allegations, an NHAI official, on the request of anonymity, said they had proper permissions to fell the trees on the New Natham-road stretch.