Avenue trees on National Highways cry for water and maintenance

Environmentalists have expressed concern over the present scenario and urged the officials to protect the saplings with utmost care. National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials say there are over two lakh saplings planted along the NH stretch in the Chennai region. 

They however maintain that they are monitoring, inspecting and reviewing with contractor agencies. Sources said that the NHAI officials were purchasing tree saplings from Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and other states by spending crores of rupees and are handing over the avenue plantation project to particular agencies to take care of them on contract basis. 

Sources admitted that 75 per cent of the saplings do not have proper fencing and some saplings are being fenced with mere thorny sticks. “Officials show reluctance in inspecting the places where saplings are being planted and no proper maintenance is there causing many saplings to wilt. 

Moreover, the trees are not being watered at least once in a week,” said A Kannan, a resident of Maraimalai Nagar. Many saplings have been forayed by stray cattle, while some have wilted due to scorching heat. “The NH roads are wearing a deserted look, as there are no trees along the roads. 

Even if we want to take a break in some places, there is not even a small tree,” said A Karthikeyan, a motorist who takes the Chennai-Tirupathi High Road (CTH) near Thiruvallur district. 

NHAI officials are a monitoring authority though they are handing over avenue plantation to the contracting agency. But they fail to monitor the saplings once the plantation is over. Further, passengers, by-standers and motorists are at the receiving end, as they find it difficult to get shelter, in rain or shine. 

When DT Next contacted, a senior engineer said that they were continuously persuading the contracting agencies to take care of them. “We learn that many saplings have been dried. At the same time, we are keeping a tab on the project. Moreover, we will ask the agencies to again plant the saplings if they are not properly being maintained,” the official said. Meanwhile, tree plantation programme has come under flak from environmentalists.

One or two rows of flowering shrubs are recommended in accordance with the varying width of the median in different sections. Where median width is less than 1.5 metres, only grass turf is recommended. When there is a median width of 3 metres, one row of shrubs is suggested;  plantation of two rows of flowering shrubs is required in a median of five metres width.