Hundreds of students and environmentalists formed a human chain to protect the ecology of Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary, and its adjoining areas including the Old Railway Station.
Students of Sacred Heart College, Thevara; St. Teresa’s College; St. Albert’s College; Sree Narayana Higher Secondary School, Ayyappankavu; LMCC School, Chathyath; and St Joseph’s School, Pachalam, joined hands with noted ecologists Madhav Gadgil, M.K. Prasad, U.K. Gopalan, former Forest Minister Binoy Viswom, Harish Vasudevan, Purushan Eloor, K.J. Sohan, Subhash Chand, corporation councillors Deepak Joy, K.X. Francis and Albert Ampalathinkal to guard the only Protected Area in the city.
The campaign was coordinated by Hibi Eden, MLA.
Mr. Eden urged the railways to withdraw from the move to axe trees.
Environmentalists were up in arms against the proposal of the Southern Railway to cut down 189 trees located on the Old Railway station premises as they think that such move would upset the ecology of the bird sanctuary located on the adjacent land. Inaugurating the campaign, Dr. Gadgil said the development campaigns in the country had become campaigns for the rich to become richer. “A stage has evolved in the country where you can violate all laws and reap heavy profit,” he said.
In his address, Mr. Viswom said the value of trees was not limited to the value of timber. “The value assessment of trees can be done only in terms of its ecosystem services like the oxygen they provide,” he said.
Mr. Prasad said the construction of high-rises in the area near the bird sanctuary might have scared away the hundreds of birds, including the long distant migrants, that used to reach there.