Encroachers burn down several trees in Puliayangudi
Conservationists in Puliyangudi are protesting the destruction of trees planted as part of a greening initiative, alleging that encroachers are burning them to facilitate illegal land occupation. Local authorities are being urged to take stringent action to protect the remaining saplings.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the ongoing conflict between environmental conservation efforts and illegal land encroachment in rural areas.
The merciless ‘murder’ of a few hundred trees along a road connecting Puliyangudi and the ranches on the lap of the Western Ghats has agitated the conservationists and the public.
As part of its “Greening Initiative”, Rotary Club of Puliyangudi, in association with Department of Forest, planted over 5,200 saplings in 2016 on both sides of 5 km-long ‘Periyapaathai’ connecting Puliyangudi and the foothills of the Western Ghats. This road is used by farmers going to their farms where the famous ‘Puliyangudi’ lemon is raised besides other crops, by schoolchildren, and the inmates of a hostel on this road.
Sourcing two-year-old saplings of neem, Indian beech (pungai), Java plum (naaval) and other country varieties from a Cuddalore-based nursery, the Rotary Club, spearheaded by its office-bearer Sankaranarayanan, planted the saplings. The then District Collector M. Karunakaran and former Chief Conservator of Forest Irulandi inaugurated the drive.
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