Exnora Greater Chennai held its Emergent Meeting recently at T. Nagar
Exnora Greater Chennai held its Emergent Meeting recently at T. Nagar Exnora office, which was attended by Exnora office bearers from all parts of Greater Chennai area, in the backdrop of reduction of already lower green cover from about 6% to 4% in the City due to Cyclone Vardha. It was unanimously decided to urge the State Government to extend the green cover in the entire city of Chennai and its suburbs on war footing basis by allocating necessary funds and manpower.
Mr. R. Govindaraj, President, Exnora Greater Chennai, stated that the Green Cover in the City of Chennai and its suburbs was already lower and the City was facing various forms of pollution at all level. To elevate this situation,Tamilnadu forest department, greater Chennai Corporation and Exnora Greater Chennai, various other NGOs, individuals and various other organizations had been involved in increasing the Green Cover by planting various types of trees, including avenue trees & ornamental trees, at grass root level. While the City was limping back, Cyclone Vardha had caused havoc in the efforts of the people of Chennai and its suburbs by pulling down around one lakh trees, many of which were well grown, thereby bringing the Green Cover from about 6% to 4%. He insisted that the Government should allocate the required funds to plant more than 2 lakhs trees by procuring native species of trees, such as Pungan, Poovasaran, Neem, Vagai, Pupil, from Forest Department in the entire State, neighbouring States and Private Nurseries and make them available from the Greater Chennai Corporation to the general public for free distribution or on payment of a nominal fee, along with the required tree guards.
Mr. Fatheraj J.Jain, Secretary, North Chennai Exnora, suggested that the Greater Chennai Corporation should enumerate the existing trees and make provision for seepage of water into the ground by removing the concrete / cement slabs & Thar roads laid around the trees, to enable the roots of the trees to grow deeper into the ground, for strengthening of the trees and to prevent soil erosion & recharge ground water level.
Mr.R. Sridharan, T.Nagar Exnora, suggested that Greater Chennai Corporation should plant new trees of native species at all the locations where the trees have fallen due to the cyclone and make the residents of the concerned localities responsible for its up-keep.
Mr. K.V. Suresh, Adyar Exnora, suggested that Greater Chennai Corporation should identify new locations, such as around the Corporation Dumping Yards, Play Grounds, road avenues, surrounding the educational institutions, in the existing vacant places available in the suburbs, and plant the new trees.
Mr. Bhaskar, Ayanavaram Exnora, suggested that the Horticulture Department’s Terrace Garden concept of “Do It Yourself” which is being implemented for the past 2 years at the rate of 10,000 kits per years, should be expanded to be done also by Greater Chennai Corporation in all its Divisions to be distributed to around 5 Lakhs households at a subsidized rate of around Rs.500/- per kit.
Mr. Sampath Kumar, Nungambakkam Exnora, insisted that the various arms of the State Government, especially the Forest Departments, Greater Chennai Corporation should utilize the services of Private Nurseries, Civic Exnoras, NGOs, Service Organizations, Residents Welfare Associations, etc. for the success of the efforts in extending the Green Cover.
Mr. N. V.Ranganayakulu, Secretary, South Chennai Exnora contended that all these steps should be taken so to prevent increase in the air pollution, Green House Gases effects, degradation of environment, rise in temperatures, which have direct bearing on the lives of the people of Chennai and its suburbs. He cautioned that we should take all the required precautionary measures to prevent the situation being faced by Delhi and other major cities of India and the world.
It was unanimously decided that Exnora Greater Chennai in coordination with Forest Department, Greater Chennai Corporation & Private Nurseries shall procure around 10,000 tree saplings and plant the same in and around Educational Institutions and residential areas in Chennai and suburbs with the help of Civic Exnoras, residents welfare associations, Flats welfare associations of the localities.