CHENNAI: A 2,000sqft Miyawaki forest set up by residents and students of the Perungudi corporation higher secondary school is at risk of being destroyesd as Greater Chennai Corporation officials have begun dumping construction debris near the trees.
Local residents said that the civic body officials had earlier uprooted trees planted on a land belonging to the Public Works Department near the lake. “About 20-25 plants were removed using earth movers in December last year to set up a shed to park battery-operated vehicles of a contractor. We had protested then and they offered us a 20,000 square feet OSR land close by. But now, they are dumping debris even there. We wanted to set up another Miyawaki forest there,” he said.
A civic body official said that they were only using the space temporarily as the debris will be sent to a construction plant near Perungudi landfill. “Some people are dumping it illegally at night as well,” he told TOI.
The lake actually belongs to PWD. The Perungudi Lake Area Neighbourhood Environment Transformation Association (PLANET) has been working in coordination with the PWD in organizing several tree planting activities and lake rejuvenation festivals since 2016. More than seven residential colonies are part of this association.
P Sajeevan, a resident, stated that a few days ago, the civic body began clearing debris from the OSR land. “But they continue to dump it near the Miyawaki forest in the school ground,” he said, adding that the civic officials in the zone have always been unsupportive of the plan to nurture a Miyawaki forest.
A corporation official told TOI that they would find an alternative plot for this purpose.
Local residents said that the civic body officials had earlier uprooted trees planted on a land belonging to the Public Works Department near the lake. “About 20-25 plants were removed using earth movers in December last year to set up a shed to park battery-operated vehicles of a contractor. We had protested then and they offered us a 20,000 square feet OSR land close by. But now, they are dumping debris even there. We wanted to set up another Miyawaki forest there,” he said.
A civic body official said that they were only using the space temporarily as the debris will be sent to a construction plant near Perungudi landfill. “Some people are dumping it illegally at night as well,” he told TOI.
The lake actually belongs to PWD. The Perungudi Lake Area Neighbourhood Environment Transformation Association (PLANET) has been working in coordination with the PWD in organizing several tree planting activities and lake rejuvenation festivals since 2016. More than seven residential colonies are part of this association.
P Sajeevan, a resident, stated that a few days ago, the civic body began clearing debris from the OSR land. “But they continue to dump it near the Miyawaki forest in the school ground,” he said, adding that the civic officials in the zone have always been unsupportive of the plan to nurture a Miyawaki forest.
A corporation official told TOI that they would find an alternative plot for this purpose.
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