Clearing karuvelam trees may take five years, says retd HC judge

Madurai: Retired Madras high court judge justice A Selvam said Tamil Nadu would need three rounds over five years to remove seemai karuvelam (prosopis juliflora) trees, citing Kerala’s cyclical clearance model.“Even if the karuvelam trees are removed once, they will continue to grow again. It will require three rounds of removal. The target can be achieved within five years,” he said during an inspection in Madurai district.Selvam inspected waterbodies, government poramboke lands and neglected private patta lands in Madurai corporation areas and nearby taluks as part of the exercise ordered by the Madras high court to clear the invasive trees.“In Kerala, they removed it three times in three rounds. After that, this plant is not found there,” he said. Answering questions on government support, he said the state is providing funds for the work now and the previous drive stopped not because of lack of funds, but because of a court stay. He said a bench had stayed the process “without knowing the consequences,” resulting in the work coming to a halt.On encroachments in waterbodies, he said they were not a challenge if handled legally. He added that officials needed guidance to identify encroachments and carry out the work properly.The court had directed the removal after petitions said the invasive trees were blocking water flow and affecting groundwater recharge.