Keep tabs on illegal felling of silver oak trees, say Ooty greens

Ooty: In the wake of the Madras high court’s ruling in regard to the felling and transport of silver oak trees in the hills, Mr S. Jayachandran, joint secretary of the Tamil Nadu Green Movement (TNGM), who is the petitioner in this case, said that the forest department should evolve new plans to monitor the illegal felling of silver oaks.

Speaking to DC, Mr Jayachandran said that the silver oak is grown as a shade tree in tea gardens and in plantations as it helps in soil heath by providing organic content, besides enhancing green cover. Since it is a fast growing tree, there is no hurdle in growing it. It also gives income when harvested after a certain period of time, he noted.

However, the Tamil Nadu forest department exempted this tree from the Tamil Nadu Timber Transit rule in August 2012, and this gave a free hand to fell and transport this tree. Now, with the high court setting aside the government order on exemption given to the timber transit rule in regard to silver oak, the forest department should chalk out new plans to check the illegal felling of silver oak.

“It is said that an acre of tea garden should have at least 110 silver oak trees in it. The forest department, in order to encourage cultivating silver oak trees in tea gardens, should produce and supply silver oak saplings in required quantities free of cost,” he added.