Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala University has decided to replace acacia in Kariavattom with other trees. Over 200 acres in the campus is at present covered with acacia. The plan is to replace these plants before next March, sources said. The university has forwarded a complaint to the Social Forestry Wing of the State Forest Department urging them to replace the trees with other plants as there were complaints of asthma in the campus. Kerala University had earlier decided to upgrade Kariavattom campus as a centre of excellence. In its budget, the KU had earmarked Rs 300 crore for a project to comprehensively develop Kariava-ttom campus.
The present plan was to replace acacia with fruit bearing trees including mango and jackfruit, sources said. Students in the campus had been complaining about health problems due to acacia. Earlier, the state government, owing to severe drought and water crisis had cut down all acacia and eucalyptus trees as they depleted groundwater on June 5, during the World Environment Day conducted by Haritha Keralam Project. There were reports that the indiscriminate monoculture of acacia plantations in forest land has affected catchment areas of both Peppara and Neyyar dams intensifying the effect of drought. The state government has also decided to plant acacia and Manjium in Kerala Forest.
