Expert committee formed to test seemai karuvelam trees: Tamil Nadu Govt

Chennai: The state government has informed the Madras high court that it has constituted an expert committee to conduct scientific test on ‘Seemai karuvalam’ trees.

When a PIL filed by advocate A. Meganathan came up for hearing before the full bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee, Justices M.M. Sundaresh and M Sundar on Thursday the additional advocate general Ayyadurai submitted that an expert committee has been formed by the government to conduct scientific tests on the trees.

He said a seven-member team led by chief conservator of forest (research) as chairman was appointed by the government to go into various aspects of negative and positive impact of ‘Seemai Karuvalam’ trees. The team includes professor and head of the department (agro forest), forest and research institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Dr V. Shankaran and head of agronomy department, Madras Veterinary College, Vepery, Chennai, engineer in chief, water resources department of public works department, Chennai, Mr Keranappuch Joseph.

The bench directed the government to include four more experts as suggested by the petitioner. The committee shall submit a detailed report in three months.

The AAG has assured that no tree would be felled till the expert committee files the report. The petitioner sought to prevent the authorities from removing them without scientifically proving its negative aspects. On April 28, 2017, the first bench of Madras high court had referred the matter to a larger bench and stayed cutting of the trees until further orders.