Court raps Collector over karuvelam tree order

MDMK leader Vaiko along with few others filed a petition at the High Court with a plea for removal of seemai karuvelam trees from the 13 southern districts. Based on the plea all the 13 district collectors were included as respondents. 

When the case was heard initially, the High Court had directed all the district administrations to remove the seemai karuvelam trees. In the second hearing Assistant Advocate General Pugalendhi filed the report claiming that four districts had removed seemai karuvelams in Corporation and Municipal lands and the rest of the plants in PWD and private lands were not removed. 

He also claimed that works are going on in other districts and they would also be completed soon. Following that Judges issued ultimatum to all the 13 district collectors to remove the tree in question from the district headquarters completely by January 31. 

When the case was taken up for hearing, Vaiko appeared in the court and claimed that the seemai karuvelam removal works were not satisfactory. 

The Judges too had the same opinion. Citing reports submitted by the PP that only 20 per cent of the trees were removed in Ramanathapuram district, they claimed that the seemai karuvelam removal works were not satisfactory in the district and hence a suo moto contempt action would be initiated by the court, said the Judges. 

The PP also claimed that 60 percentage of the seemai karuvelam plants were removed in the 13 districts and they are yet to be removed only in private lands. The judges intercepted and said that the seemai karuvelam trees should be removed in 10 days by the private land owners and if they fail to do so, the district administration should remove the trees and collect the charges from the land owners. 

Once again, the Principal District Judges should investigate the removal process and must submit the report by February 10, the court ordered. District administrations should also submit the reports of removal of seemai karuvelam by February 10 said the judges.