Public, NGO foil NHAI bid to axe well-grown trees

The activists learnt of NHAI’s decision to cut down the trees as they were found marked for axing. They claimed the highway authority had availed permission from the revenue department to chop off 14 trees, citing their presence to be a hindrance for free flow of traffic on the stretch. 

But, K Syed from Osai, an environmental organisation, said there was no need for the trees to be removed. 

Stating that a couple of trees were axed during the road widening works, which got over a few days ago, Syed said, “Now that all the works have been completed, why should those additional trees be cut down unnecessarily?” He added that the Ettimadai railway station road is just a branch road with less vehicle movement. 

Environmentalists claimed that a loss in green cover in Coimbatore has led to an increase in temperature. They said many trees along several arterial roads, including Avinashi Road, Tiruchy Road, Sathyamangalam Road and other stretches were chopped off in the recent years during road expansion works. 

“In future, the revenue department should rope in volunteers from NGOs, while planning road expansion works that may require removal of trees, to prevent loss of green cover,” said Syed.  

When contacted, NHAI officials said that although widening works were over, the trees located close to the road may cause mishaps. “However, following objections raised against the move, we have decided to keep the plan to cut down the trees on hold,” an official said.