COIMBATORE: People from different walks of life have urged the advocates (amici curiae) appointed by the Madras High Court to inspect the Kallar Horticulture Farm near Mettupalayam, not to recommend relocating the farm. The advocates visited the farm on Saturday, and are expected to submit their inspection report to the high court on October 14.
In a petition submitted to the amici curiae, a large number of people, including farmers, students, activists, representatives of the consumer organisation and Mettupalayam MLA AK Selvaraj, said the farm had been functioning in the location for the past 124 years, and it would not be right to relocate it now based on the authorities’ contention that the farmland fell within elephant corridor limits.
One of the advocates said the farm spans over 21.80 acres of land in Kallar in the foothills of the Western Ghats. “To ensure a hassle-free movement for elephants, the horticulture department removed the children’s seesaw, slide, and swing from the farm premises. A solar fence for a stretch of 1.5 km was also removed. Entry for visitors was prohibited from February 27 this year. The people in the area want the farm to continue functioning in the same area. We will submit our report on October 14 and the court will take a final decision,” the advocate added.
Sources in the horticulture department said they have already conveyed to the high court that setting up a similar park in another location would be extremely strenuous since the nutrients in the soil and climate conditions of Kallar are not available anywhere else. “Our staff have been maintaining 53 species of plants, including fruit-bearing plants and other native trees, in the farm. We have been allowing students to visit the facility for educational purposes. We have also distributed as many as 23 lakh plants to farmers in the last ten years,” one of the department sources said.