KOCHI: Under pressure from the green activists to avoid damaging Santhivanam, a sacred grove at Vazhikkulangara in Kottuvally Panchayat near North Paravur, District Collector K Mohammad Y Safirulla said that only 3 trees will be cut down to install the 110 KV power transmission tower.
“The Cherai - Vypeen power transmission project is being implemented to ensure quality power to around 40,000 consumers in Cherai. The project will be implemented without damaging the environment,” the Collector said during a press conference here on Monday.
He said the design of the tower has been changed to ensure protection of Santhivanam. As per the previous design, 48 trees needed to be chopped down. After discussions, the KSEB has agreed to increase the height of the tower. Now, we need to cut down only one anjili (Artocarpus hirsutus) tree and two arecanut trees, the Collector said.
According to him, the KSEB will extend the length of the bottom cross arm of the power transmission tower on the Santhivanam premises from 19.4 m to 22.4 m. The length of the bottom cross arm of the tower on the western side will be increased to 24.6 m from 21.4 m. This will increase the height of the tower and only the branches of trees with a height of more than 13.5 m will be cut down.
Accordingly, the branches of two Anjili trees, one pine and two other trees will be trimmed, the Collector said.The trees will be cut down according to the guidelines of the Social Forestry Department. “As many as 10 trees will be planted while cutting down a tree,” he added.The KSEB, in a press release, said it has decided to increase the height of the tower by 3m to avoid destruction of Santhivanam.
Decision imposed on us, says Meena Menon
Kochi: Rejecting the decision of the District Collector to allow construction of the KSEB 110 KV tower on the Santhivanam, Meena Menon, the owner of the property, said the agitation against destruction of the sacred grove will continue. “Before the discussion started, the KSEB had issued a note announcing the decision to restart the construction of the tower from Tuesday, according to the conditions laid down by the Collector. The discussion was unilateral. They did not have any answer to my questions regarding diversion of the power line through the Santhivanaml,” she said in a Facebook live post.