Kotturpuram Miyawaki remains a dumpyard

CHENNAI: The city’s first Miyawaki forest in Kotturpuram, set up five years ago to increase green cover in the city, is now an easy place to dump any garbage.

Located along Canal Bank Road near the local railway station, the fenced plot that’s planted with dense native species using the Japanese Miyawaki method lies in a neglected state. Residents say it has always been the case since the induction.

Plastic cups, liquor bottles, food waste, and cigarette buds litter the area. Residents who live nearby allege that given the condition of the site and placement of garbage bins, the passer bys and commuters use this as a dumping ground. The trash is not only dumped around the perimeter but also inside the premises.

Residents alleged that the forest is frequented by alcoholics who enter the fenced zone after dark to drink, eat and loiter. And it’s not just the garbage and civic upkeep that lead to this pathetic condition. The forest itself is left unattended. “No one has ever come here and maintained this place or attempted to cleaned it,” said a shopkeeper who resides opposite the forest.

The Miyawaki method, which involves planting native species close together to create dense and fast-growing forests, was first adopted by the Greater Chennai Corporation around 2019. Since then, many Miyawaki forests have been created across the city in parks and unused government lands.

Though the State government has now stopped expanding this afforestation method, existing ones in Kotturpuram get zero follow-up and care.

Speaking to the DT Next, Ward 173 Councillor D Subashini said, “Watering the forests is done on a regular basis. We’ll take necessary steps to avoid intruders as well as maintain cleanliness.”