Oleander grown along Thoothukudi–Palayamkottai national highway withering, says petition

THOOTHUKUDI

Stating that the greenery planted along Thoothukudi VOC Port – Palayamkottai four-lane national highway was in a pathetic condition due to poor maintenance, a nature lover staged a dharna on the Collectorate premises and submitted a petition to Collector K. Senthil Raj on Monday.

Oleander has been planted in the median along the national highway to block the glare from oncoming vehicles, but it is gradually withering in some areas due to poor maintenance, said environmental activist P. Balakrishnan of Anna Nagar. After submitting his petition, he sat on the floor inside the hall where the weekly grievance redressal meet was under way and staged a dharna before being removed by police.

Mr. Balakrishnan attributed the condition of the plants to lack of proper watering.  “I planted over 2,500 oleander plants between Kovilpillai Nagar and Camp I in the median along the 4-lane highway leading to the VOC Port. Since I cannot water the plants, I had appealed to National Highways Authority of India, Thoothukudi Corporation and local body officials to water them at regular intervals. However, the officials have not taken any action to save the plants.,”

 Even though he was evicted from the hall, he continued his protest near the main entrance of the Collectorate from where he was whisked away to SIPCOT Police Station for inquiry. He was let off with a warning.

 Led by president of Karisal Bhoomi Vivasaayigal Sangam A. Varadharajan, a group of farmers from Ettaiyapuram said the godown built in their area in 2019 for storing 5,000 tonnes of farm produces could not be used as the shutter had broke down. Since there was no security personnel posted in the godown, the farmers were not ready to store their produce there.

Hence, the shutter should be either repaired or replaced so that the godown could be utilised for storage, the petitioners said.

 Thamizh Vivasaayigal Sangam farmers, led by their State president O.A. Narayanasamy submitted a petition complaining that the fertilizer stockists were compelling them to buy complex fertilizers and other crop nutrients along with urea. Hence, the Collector should take action against them.