50-year-old banyan tree in Thanjavur translocated

THANJAVUR: A 50-year-old banyan tree that was about to be chopped off for the road widening process near the new bus stand in Thanjavur has got a new lease of life following the direction of the district collector Dinesh Ponraj Oliver. The highways department moved the tree and replanted it on the premises of the new district collector office in Thanjavur.
The giant banyan tree was standing majestically in front of a private medical centre between Mani Mandapam and new bus stand road for more than 50 years by providing shadow to hundreds of motorists, pedestrians and shelter for birds.
Meanwhile, the state highways authorities (public works department) began the process of widening the road. So, the PWD and corporation decided to remove the tree and relocate it to some other place as per the instruction of the collector. Then the collector himself suggested replanting the tree within the premises of the new collector office.
For that, the workers cut down the branches leaving a seven-foot height stem. With the help of earthmovers, authorities from the district administration, the corporation and PWD uprooted the stem and replanted it on the collectorate premises on Thursday.
Speaking to reporters, collector Oliver told that several projects have been implemented aiming to bring the entire district under the dense of trees including the project of 'one tree one house,' which is planting one lakh tree saplings in the city.
"It is a rule that 10 to 20 tree saplings should be planted for a tree which would be cut off for any developmental projects. Since it is a giant tree that was there for years, officials keen on safeguarding it. So, we have successfully replanted it. I have instructed the authorities to safeguard the banyan tree," the collector added.