Petition and concerns
MDMK general secretary Vaiko filed a public interest petition before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court seeking directions to the Tamil Nadu government to remove Seemai Karuvel trees. The petition said the species absorbs groundwater, oxygen and moisture, increasing heat and harming agriculture and the environment.
Earlier court directions
On March 18, a division bench ordered that Seemai Karuvel trees be removed along with their roots. The bench also directed that native plant species be planted and maintained in the cleared areas.
Timeline set by the court
The court said the work should be completed before the next monsoon season. The matter came up again before Justices N. Sathish Kumar and D. Bharatha Chakravarthy.
Warning to officials
The judges directed officials to file a status report by July 10. They cautioned that if there is no progress in implementing the court’s order, the court would treat it as a serious issue and may order notices seeking explanations from the concerned officials.
