3 days ago
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The diminishing histrion screen successful Coimbatore is facing further menace from amerciable felling of successful nationalist places successful the lack of due guidelines to curb specified attempts and enactment to beryllium taken against offenders.
Joseph Reginald, a researcher from KRG Nagar astatine Ganapathy, said gaps successful the strategy came to airy erstwhile helium had to question amerciable felling of a lush kodukkapuli histrion (Pithecellobium dulce) successful a reserve tract of Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation’s (CCMC) ward no: 20 by a backstage idiosyncratic connected May 15.
After overmuch efforts by assorted NGOs, the Coimbatore northbound Tahsildar wrote to CCMC’s Assistant Commissioner (North) connected May 20, based connected a study from the Village Administrative Officer, referring for due enactment successful the substance arsenic the reserve tract belongs to the civic body.
“Though the histrion was felled, the missive stated its branches unsocial were cut. It besides lacked afloat details of the idiosyncratic progressive successful the felling,” said Mr. Reginald.
According to him, nary enactment was initiated against the idiosyncratic from the Corporation, pursuing which the substance was taken to the attraction of the Revenue Divisional Officer (North), but to nary avail.
The Forest Department stated that its relation was confined to assessing the worth of trees successful the lawsuit of amerciable felling and not taking enactment against offenders. As per the Government Order (G.O.) regarding the enactment of territory greenish committee, it besides did not person a relation successful taking enactment against violators.
“There is nary clarity connected what guidelines, Acts, Rules, G.O.s, oregon different ineligible provisions govern cutting and valuation of trees successful nationalist places. Little is besides known nether which provisions support is required for cutting trees successful nationalist places and who is the competent authorization to assistance the permission. People are not alert wherever to complain, however to kick and who is the authorization to study a felling,” said Mr. Reginald.
A city-based environmentalist said connected information of anonymity that the ecological worth and relation of trees successful nationalist places are ne'er considered erstwhile support is granted for cutting trees oregon enactment is taken successful the lawsuit of an amerciable felling.
“They enactment different species, and galore are often the roosting oregon nesting sites of birds. A survey should beryllium done to cheque these aspects erstwhile felling successful a ample fig is planned for infrastructure projects,” said the environmentalist.
When respective trees were chopped for Thadagam Road enlargement a decennary ago, implicit 40 chicks of crows and koel that mislaid their nests had to beryllium rehabilitated.
K. Syed of Green Care, an NGO designated arsenic replanting specializer successful the territory greenish committee, said the Revenue Department has imposed good successful galore cases of amerciable felling. In 2025, a antheral was fined ₹1 lakh for cutting branches of a histrion without permission, helium said.
“The authorities should travel retired with a due line for permissions and felling of trees successful nationalist places. Permissions should beryllium granted lone aft due inspection by experts. Similarly, the authorities should initiate a modular operating process to beryllium followed for amerciable felling,” helium said.
