THOOTHUKUDI: Corporation Mayor N Jegan Periyasamy attended the 250th event of the tree planting drive conducted by a group of youth under the banner All Can Trust at State Bank Colony main road on Sunday. The youth, headed by public prosecutor of the district Mohandass, have been conducting the drive on all weekends since 2017, except during the Covid lockdown.
Inaugurating the event, Jegan said the city needs more trees along the road to absorb emissions from industries and vehicles. "The city corporation has taken several measures to avoid cutting down trees along the roads during expansion and drainage constructions," he said, appreciating the youth for the planting drive.
Mohandass told TNIE that they plant at least 22 to 25 tree saplings every weekend on a street in different residential areas of the city. "Each sapling is fenced to protect it from cattle among other threats with the main objective to make Thoothukudi clean and green.
More than 6,000 saplings have been planted in the past six years. Saplings are planted only after the residents in the street promise to water and take care of the plants. The campaign is also shared in social media to motivate others," he added.
The members said saplings of Pungai, poovarasam maram and neem tree are preferred. Vagai, mahogany, naval, and other native varieties are also planted. The survival rate of Pungai is high in the city as it is not disturbed by goats and cows. It grows with limited water, they added.
Earlier, the Tamil Nadu government conferred the All Can Trust group with the Green Champion Award and a cash reward of Rs 1 lakh. The Tamil Nadu Agriculture University (TNAU) also gave certificates to members of the group, recognising their campaign.