In an interim order, the Madras High Court today directed the Tamil Nadu government to work out a plan for removal of 'Seemai Karuvelam' (Prosopis Juliflora) trees from water bodies in a phased manner.
The direction was given by a bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee, Justice MM Sundresh and Justice M Sundar on a PIL filed by A Meganathan, an advocate, seeking to forebear authorities from drastically removing 'Seemai Karuvalam' trees without any scientific proof on their negative aspects.
The First Bench had referred the matter to a larger bench and stayed felling of the trees until further orders on April 28.
On May 11, the state government had informed the court that a committee headed by Chief Conservator of Forest (Research) as chairman was appointed to go into various aspects of the negative and positive impacts of the trees.
Government Pleader M K Subramaniam today submitted the panel's analysis report to the larger bench.
After going through the report, the bench in its order said, "As per the recommendation of the committee a plan may be worked out and implemented for removal of 'Karuvelam' trees across water bodies in the state in a phased manner."
The authorities with the help of the committee and other experts can identify areas where removal process should be mechanical and where it should be manual and appropriate land management standards shall also be designed to control the spread of the trees, the judges said.
A programme should also be evolved for planting alternative species on the land cleared of 'Karuvelam' trees.
The expert committee, in its report, said "the committee reviewed in an exhaustive manner available scientific literature and analysed the facts and is of the opinion that total removal of Prosopsis Juliflora is not necessary."
The committee said removal of the trees may be initiated to facilitate flow of water to augment the storage capacity of water bodies.
Referring to southern districts of Tamil Nadu such as Virudhunagar, Pudukottai, Ramanathapuram, Tirunelveli, Thoothukodi and other areas where the tree is dominant, the panel in the report said, "the native soil does not support much plant diversity, the total removal of Juliflora is not recommended."
The larger bench, which passed the interim order on the basis of the report, directed the state to file an action taken report within eight weeks and posted the matter for October 13.
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