Frame scheme to protect Shola forests: HC to state forest dept

The Madras High court today directed Tamil Nadu forest department to frame a scheme to protect the Shola forests (patches of stunted evergreen moist broad leaf forests) in Kodaikanal, Palani and Nilgiris, which are being destroyed by proliferating wattle and eucalyptus trees.
The scheme should be framed on the guidelines and orders of the Supreme Court and till then no tree should be felled, Justices R.Sudhakar and V M Velumani said after perusing the Action Taken Report submitted to the court by the department.
The officials said a committee had been constituted under the chairmanship of chief conservator of forests to prevent invasion of exotic species in Nilgiris and Kodaikanal hills and to remove wattle and eucalyptus trees so that the tropical rainforests and shola forests could be protected and restored.

A national-level workshop was also held to discuss various issues affecting the shola forests and take steps to protect them. Government had issued orders to remove Blue gum trees and wattle trees for industiral purpose.It was also decided to girdle wattle trees above ground level and allow them to die.
In Kodaikanal, it was decided to remove wattle trees in 530 hectares. But as the Centre had passed an order, declaring it a wild life sanctuary, management plan for removing the tree had been altered and was awaiting approval of the centre.
However, wattle trees had been removed in 385 hectares in Kodaikanal and 300 hectares in Nilgiris north and south areas. About 60,000 shola tree sapplings had been cultivated where wattle trees had been removed, the ATR said.

In February 2014, the court had given an interim direction to the authorities concerned to take steps to annihilate exotic species such as wattle and eucalyptus.
The court had said it had decided to give top priority to restoration of shola forests in Kodaikanal, Nilgiris, Palani and Western Ghats in the state. It had directed officials to file a report today, listing out the steps taken pursuant to interim directions it issued on a PIL on February 27 last year.
The petitioner had contended that forest officials were hesitating to 'annihilate' eucalyptus and wattle trees by misinterpreting an order of the Supreme Court on November 25, 2005 with respect to removal of dead and wind fallen trees.