CHENNAI: Saplings planted at Tiruvanmiyur beach as part of the Greater Chennai Corporation’s (GCC) green initiative have withered due to alleged poor maintenance, raising questions over the effectiveness of the city’s large-scale afforestation efforts.
The civic body launched the “Make Chennai Green” initiative on June 5 this year to increase green cover within the corporation limits. The programme aims to plant one lakh saplings across parks, beaches, Open Space Reservation lands and roadside areas. It also encourages public participation, allowing citizens to register online to receive saplings for planting in schools, colleges and residential premises.
As part of the initiative, around 250 saplings, including pungai, sea grape, palm and coconut, were planted along Tiruvanmiyur beach to improve the coastal ecosystem. However, most of the saplings have now withered, with residents attributing the damage to a lack of proper post-plantation care.
When contacted, Adyar Zone Engineer Senthilkumaran said the damage was caused by heavy rainfall. “Due to the heavy rains, the plants have suffered. Since the saplings have withered, replantation will be carried out. We will look into the matter,” he said.
Residents in the locality, however, expressed disappointment over what they described as poor implementation. Balamurugan, a resident of Tiruvanmiyur, said while the initiative was laudable, it lacked adequate follow-up. “Planting saplings alone is not enough. Proper maintenance from the initial stage is crucial. Otherwise, the plants die, and public money spent on such initiatives goes to waste. Authorities must pay more attention to execution,” he said.
According to official data, the GCC has planted over 4.5 lakh saplings across the city since June 2021. Environmental activists and residents have repeatedly stressed that sustained maintenance, including regular watering, soil management and protection from damage, is essential to ensure the long-term success of urban greening programmes.
They also pointed out that coastal areas require special care due to salinity, wind exposure and shifting sand, and urged the civic body to adopt location-specific maintenance plans rather than one-time plantation drives.