Trust axes trees violating HC order, public complain of air, dust pollution

According to the residents in the area, the trust has axed more than a dozen trees in the past two months to ensure that its buildings are pomp and clean to attract good rents.

According to sources from CNT, the trust recently won a legal battle that was pending for years. A few tenants who were occupying their sprawling godowns were refusing to vacate the premises. The cash tight trust took legal and police assistance to retrieve the leased properties.  To ensure that all its properties are well protected and gated, the trust is renovating the rented properties. As the new occupants’ complained about trees posing a hindrance for the movement of lorries and commercial vehicles, the trust has been clearing the greeneries.

“The trees that were damaged during Vardah were initially axed, but slowly all the healthy trees behind the Chengalvarayan school were also axed to improve the vehicle movement,” complained advocate CA Prabhar, a resident. The trust is a private entity, so they are taking their own decisions and the rented godowns often pose traffic congestion for the residents. Already a complaint was given to the trust in this regard and asking them to prune the trees rather than axing them completely. We will soon rake the issue with the top brass of the CNT, he added.

“Some of the axed trees were 30 to 40 years old and were helping in arresting the dust that emanates due to the movement of lorries. But now, with the trees cleared, the dust and air pollution is an issue for the houses nearby,” complained R Nandagopal, another resident.

When contacted, CNT officials said that they were cutting the trees which were posing danger to the buildings. “We have to consider the safety of students and our tenants,” said a source attached to CNT.