Highways dept’s move to cut trees opposed in Coimbatore

COIMBATORE:  Environmentalists are concerned about the decision of state highways department to cut four old trees in Kurichi Pirivu on the Podanur railway station road for road widening work.

Social activist M Yoganathan, popularly known an 'Tree Man' for planting over five lakh trees across the State told TNIE that the activists are not opposing the road widening work, but are against the unnecessary cutting of trees.

"We suspect that the trees, which are over 60 years old, are being not cut for the road widening project, but they will be sold off for money. The city is already losing green cover and if there trees will be cut down, the temperature of the region will surely rise," he said.

Environmentalist Pandiya Rajan said, "The tree should be transplanted instead of being cut like the 40-year-old peepal tree, which was transplanted from Selvapuram on the Siruvani main road to the Central Academy for State Forest Service (CASFOS) in RS Puram recently. We suspect that over 100 trees on the entire stretch between Kurichi Pirivu to Podanur railway station will be cut as part of the project."

However, a senior official from the highways department told TNIE, "We are planning to widen the present road to four-lane road and construct stormwater drains, due to which we have to cut 21 trees in the stretch. The revenue department has given us permission to cut the trees."

On being asked about transplantation, he said that the trees won't get new life if they are transplanted.