CHENNAI: Additional chief secretary of Environment, Climate Change and Forest department Supriya Sahu informed the Madras High Court on Friday that the state will become Senna Spectabilis-free in two to three months, as the invasive species is being removed in an effective manner.
The submission was made before a special division bench of justices N Sathish Kumar and D Bharatha Chakravarthy when forest-related cases came up for hearing.
“We have been taking effective measures for removal of the invasive species. Total removal of Senna Spectabilis is nearing completion. In two to three months, the state will become free of Senna Spectabilis,” she told the bench.
The additional chief secretary noted that funds to the tune of Rs 70.41 crore were allotted in the budget for the years 2024-25 and 2025-26. For 2026-27, Rs 25 crore has been allocated in the budget.
The required funds for carrying out the removal of the invasive species, which also include lantana camara, prosopis juliflora and wattle, will be released in a couple of days, Sahu said, adding a meeting of the steering committee to monitor removal of invasive species in forest areas was held on February 23. Further, she said discussions were held with the Tamil Nadu Newsprint Limited (TNPL) and Seshasayee Paper and Boards (SPB) Limited regarding removal of the invasive species.
The bench directed the state to release the funds on a time-bound manner and remarked the exercise would turn futile if necessary funds are not released on time for maintenance of the forest areas where such species were cleared.
Meanwhile, a status report filed by the department said the monitoring committee has decided to constitute a panel to conduct time and work studies at representative locations and to make specific recommendations for the first-year maintenance operations and allied restoration activities in areas where the invasive species were removed.