The Forest Department on Monday told the Madras High Court that it has already begun removing Seemai Karuvelam (prosopis juliflora) trees, an exotic and invasive species considered harmful to the fertility of the land, from Anamalai Tiger Reserve in Coimbatore, Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve in Erode, Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in the Nilgiris and Dharmapuri district utilising the available funds.
Appearing before a Full Bench of Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justices N. Sathish Kumar and D. Bharatha Chakravarthy, Additional Advocate General J. Ravindran said, the Forest Department had sought ₹5.35 crore for a pilot project to remove the exotic and invasive species from 700 hectares of forest land. The Finance Secretary agreed to sanction funds and the files were in circulation.
However, in the meantime, the Forest Department had begun removing the invasive species from around 200 hectares using the funds available at the local level. On his part, AAG S. Silambanan informed the court of the government having completed the process of obtaining public opinion on a draft policy to eradicate the alien invasive species which have a deleterious impact on the environment.
He sought two months time for the government to come up with the final policy and the court accepted his request. The Bench was told that the government intended to eradicate Seemai Karuvelam, irrespective of ownership and legal status, within 10 years from all districts, except Ramanathapuram, Pudukottai, Thoothukudi, Sivaganga, Virudhunagar, Tirunelveli, Madurai, Villupuram, Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, Namakkal and Karur.
In the 12 districts, the government would ensure sustainable utilisation-based management and restricted removal of the species in areas (outside natural forests, protected areas, eco sensitive areas, waterbodies, riversides and forest blocks) wherein the prevailing site conditions makes the land inhospitable/hostile for regular agricultural activities.
Forest blocks and forest fringes, farmlands, water courses, irrigation tanks, river banks and water canals would be deprived of prosopis juliflora at any cost in these districts also, the AAG told the court.
