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Tuesday, May 31, 2016

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Chennai

Root Out Velikaathan to Save Ground Water

By T Muruganandham |ENS

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Published: 25th July 2015 04:32 AM Last Updated: 25th July 2015 04:32 AM
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CHENNAI: It made an entry into Tamil Nadu as part of a government initiative to

ensure easy availability of rewood in the early 60s. Now, the invasive species is
omnipresent posing a threat to local ecology and bio-diversity. Thorny Prosopis
Juli ora, popularly known as Seemai Karuvelam or Velikathaan, has literally
become a thorn in the esh, according to activists.

The dangers posed by it became evident only 15 years ago, as its rapid spread is
said to have depleted groundwater and soil nutrients eventually leading to
deserti cation.

Absorbing excessive water to produce one kg of biomass, it is known to germinate

and spread very fast as a weed. Believed to produce less oxygen, birds too do not

nest on it. It also affects soil nutrients, endangering soil fertility. Above all, this turns
its surrounding droughty, said Enathi A Poongathirvel, founder of city-based

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Juli ora Tree Abolishment Movement (JTAM).

According to him, the tree, introduced to help people reeling under a drought

situation, has in due course become a major reason for groundwater depletion in

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many districts, particularly Madurai, Ramanathapuram and Sivaganga where it is

found in abundance. It is so resilient that even in the absence of rain or

groundwater, it could grow by absorbing moisture in the air, Poongathirvel added.

Formed in August 2013, JTAM has 6,700 volunteers, who have so far destroyed

Seemai Karuvelam in over 300 acres in 22 districts. In many places, they faced

opposition from those eking out a livelihood by making charcoal from this wood.
After removing Seemai Karuvelam, our volunteers plant banyan and other trees.

On tank bunds, we plant native species like Pungai, Vembu, Vagai etc. At present,

JAMT has more than 1,000 requests to destroy Seemai Karvelam trees, he added.

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The BioNet-EAFRINET, working with many international environmental organisations,

has listed this as one of the 100 most serious invasive plants on which it has an
exclusive section on vital taxonomic information. It says the shrub is a very

aggressive invader, replacing native vegetation resulting in complete loss of

pasture and rangelands for both domestic and wild ruminants. Consumption of
the leaves causes illness and death for livestock. Other impacts are loss of

cropland, obstruction to irrigation channels and water resources as well as roads

and shing areas.

This has been declared a noxious weed in Kenya in 2008 under the Suppression of
Noxious Weeds Act, compelling land owners remove them.

On a petition from an activist, C Ananda Raj, the Madurai Bench of the Madras
High Court in January last had directed all district Collectors to take steps to

remove Seemai Karuvelam, particularly inside river Vaigai, on a war footing. On

another petition from him in November last, the court directed authorities to
remove the trees within four weeks.

Dismayed at the tardy implementation of court order, activists like Poongathirvel

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