In the last few weeks, a large area in the Guindy National Park has been cleared of vegetation with over 25 to 30 trees being chopped off apparently for constructing a percolation pond to protect the wildlife. A vast tract of land is being cleared for the water body intended to serve as a catchment for rainwater.
A professor at IIT-Madras, who resides in the same area says, “We thought some minor work was going on, but never anticipated this huge a clearing to be made.”
Officials at the park, however, maintained that not a single tree has been cut. “As responsible forest officials, how could you expect us to cut even a single tree?” asked Forest Range Officer Dhanasekaran.
According to him, only a “few shrubs and bushes” were cleared to make way for the percolation pond - to be spread over an area of 150 sqm - which would also have a bund. Animals and birds experienced a difficult time this summer, and we had to personally distribute water in tankers, he said.
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