MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the State government to submit a comprehensive report for removal of seemai karuvelam (prosopis juliflora) trees on the fourth week of January 2016.
The division bench, comprising Justices R Sudhakar and V M Velumani, told the government that they should show the same spirit, in the removal of the trees,that was shown in the case of mandatory helmet rule.
The comprehensive plan should include the funds that government would allocate for the removal; technology and mechanism that would be employed for axing of the trees from their roots; and the propaganda strategy to sensitize the public to the ill-effects of growing the tree through media, said the Justice Sudhakar while expressing disappointment over the compliance affidavit filed by the government pleader on behalf of Hans Raj Verma, the principal secretary to the government, Environment and Forest department.
When the Judge asked the MDMK leader Vaiko, who filed a petition seeking a direction to the state government for the removal of the Seemai Karuvelam in southern districts, to submit his suggestions on the issue, he said that the government could use the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme for the drive, as it would also help villagers to have better understanding of the harmful effects that the trees could cause to the environment.
The MGNEG Act also has clear specified that works like water conservation, water management, renovation of traditional water bodies and afforestation, sapling plantation and horticulture in common and forest lands, canal bunds, etc., could be carried out under the scheme for the purpose of management of natural resources. Hence state government should utilise the above scheme for the complete eradication of trees, Vaiko pointed out. He further said that the government should enlighten the rural masses through a campaign .