Chennai suburban residents strive to being back green cover

Chennai: In an effort to make up for the lost greenery post Vardah cyclone, members of the Heritage Jayendra Nagar House Owners Association, along with Eco Society India (ESI), a non-governmental organisation, carried out a plantation drive at Sembakkam Heritage in Jayendra Nagar at Tambarm in the city suburb.

Speaking to News Today, association president Saravanan said they took up the initiative to create a green environment for the future.

“We have planted almost 125 native breed saplings, an exercise in which residents, especially children, took part in large numbers,” he said. He further said the place where the saplings had been planted was earlier used to dump debris in the aftermath of the cyclone.

“We have cleared the area and segregated the bio-degradable waste in one place. The remaining is being used as a boundary and we will soon find a way to dispose fit,” he added.

He further said as far as maintenance is concerned, conservancy workers in the colony will take care of watering and keeping the spot clean.

“This is our first initiative. We will try to make necessary arrangements as required in the coming days,” he added.

Saravanan stated,”Over 150 palm seeds were also sowed along the fence line bordering Jayendra Nagar’s residential communities. We have also planted Natchathira tree sapling around the temple in the locality.”

ESI director Darwin Annadurai pointed out that over 100 native tree saplings with medicinal and timber values were given life as part of the green move.

“The people who participated in the event were briefed about the importance of rare native species in enhancing the biodiversity of the region,” he noted.

LIST OF SAPLINGS

Dalbergia sissoo (Indian Rosewood), Pterocarpus santalinus (Indian red sandal wood), Persea macrantha (thaandri), Madhuca longifolia (iluppai), Ficus bengalensis (Indian banyan), Ficus religiosa (peepal tree), Tectona grandis (teak),Thespesia populnea (poovarasu), Pterocarpus marsupium (vengai), Simarouba glauca (sorkkam maram), Pongamia pinnata (mani pungai), Holoptelea integrifolia (Indian elm) and Swietenia mahagoni (Indian mahogany)