MALAPPURAM: In responseto the widespread outrage over the killing of 50 birds after a tree along the national highway was felled callously in Malappuram, the social forestry department (SFD) has put a system in place. As part of it, the department did a survey and identified five trees on the NH 66 stretch from Ramanattukara to Ponnani in which protected birds like cormorants and egrets are living. The protection of the trees will be ensured through WhatsApp groups.
“Earlier, the tree committees had given permission to the NH authorities to fell these trees for road development. But some protected birds have started living in these trees. We identified five such trees on the NH stretch during the survey. Those trees were marked with paint and ribbons. They should not be felled,” Deputy Forest Conservator (Malappuram division) Saji Kumar told TNIE. “We’ve created two WhatsApp groups. Local residents and SFD officials will be the members in the first while NHAI officials, its contractors and SFD officers will be the members in the second.
“If the birds in the trees face any threat, local residents will alert us via the WhatsApp group and we’ll take required measures. The NHAI officials and the contractors have been asked to post pictures of the trees before felling them for road development. They should not cut the trees in which birds are living,” said the official. The SFD has not decided yet to implement the new system across the state.
‘Contractors told not to hurt birds in name of development’
The principal chief conservator of forests (social forestry) in the state, E Pradeep Kumar, said national highway contractors have been asked not to hurt the birds in the name of development. “The contractors should be extremely careful while felling the trees. Incidents like the one that happened at V K Padi in Malappuram district should not be repeated,” he said.
The forest department had registered a case against the contractor and the NHAI under the Wild Life Protection Act. Also, three workers who felled the tree for the contractor --- Andhra Pradesh-based company KNCL -- were arrested. A case was also registered against the contractor and NHAI.