CHENNAI: A special division bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday ordered the state government to implement a project, ‘Sezhumai Karuvoolam’ (prosperous repository), for the eradication of the “obnoxious invasive species” of seemai karuvelam (Prosopis juliflora) from private and public lands across Tamil Nadu.
Private landowners shall remove the species within 30 days from date of the order, failing which, block development officers or any such officials may be deputed to carry out the exercise, and the costs shall be recovered from the owners, the bench stated.
“As per the Tamil Nadu Policy on Invasive Plants and Ecological Restoration, Prosopis juliflora in all its forms – whether trees, plants or roots – shall be mechanically uprooted, removed and disposed of from its location. Wherever possible, native species shall be planted, cared for and grown and the project shall be titled ‘Sezhumai Karuvoolam’,” the bench comprising Justices N Sathish Kumar and D Bharatha Chakravarthy said.
The orders were passed on a batch of petitions, including one moved by MDMK general secretary Vaiko who had argued the case as a party-in-person.
Senior counsel P Wilson, assisted by special government pleader T Seenivasan, represented certain official respondents, including the chief secretary.
The 55-page judgment further stated that district collectors shall be the authority responsible for removing the weeds using machinery on private and public lands, and preventing their further growth by replacing them with native species. The returns earned through auctioning the timber generated through felling of the trees would be fully utilised for meeting out the financial requirements, it added.
The bench then directed the district collectors to create localised schemes or standard operating procedure (SOP) for taking care of the native species.
Panel to monitor drive
The bench also appointed a special committee comprising two retired judges of the court for effective implementation of the project. Justice A Selvam will supervise the drive in the southern districts falling under the jurisdiction of the Madurai Bench while Justice V Bharathidasan will monitor the drive in districts under the Principal Bench.
Senior counsel T Mohan, advocates M Santhanaraman, Chevanan Mohan and Rahul Balaji assisted the court as amici curiae in the case.