Chennai: Environmentalists are shocked over the felling of huge avenue trees inside the prestigious Anna University paving way for constructions.
The university has been losing its green cover, as there is no ecological policy in place, admit insiders.
IIT Madras, located adjacent to Anna University, was also dragged last year to National Green Tribunal for chopping its trees.
College of Engineering, Guindy, is coming up with a new building, a hostel mess for students. On the ground opposite girls hostel three huge banyan trees were felled.
Though the university claimed only one tree was felled, the number of logs kept aside betrays this claim. The university has 190 acres of land with good tree and plant cover.
About 5 to 10 acres of land is reserved for mild forest. B.K. Stalin, estate officer of the university, said, “We don’t have reserve forest. Apart from the university land there is a 20-acre of land reserved for mild forestation which is adjacent to the regular quarter area,” he said.
Way back in 1994 when he joined the university there were more than 50 deer in the campus. But since there are less thick bushes now most of the animals went to IIT.
“At present, there are only 10 to 15 deer in the campus,” he said. When asked the reason if the declining number of deer was due to cutting of trees, he disagreed and said it was mostly because of stray dogs inside the campus.
