Don’t cut tamarind trees for bus stop works in Salem: HC tells govt

The Madras High Court had ordered the state government not to cut off the decades-old tamarind trees located alongside the highways in Mallur, Salem, for the proposed construction of a new bus stand/bus stop in the outskirts of the city.

Justice GR Swaminathan passed the direction on hearing a petition filed by S Ranjith, a resident of Mallur in Salem.

The petitioner, who claims to be the district level office bearer of filmmaker Seeman’s Naam Tamilar Katchi, asked the court to quash the decision of authorities (dated March

28) to build a new bus stop in Mallur after cutting down seven tamarind trees which have remained in the same location for several decades.

“The petitioner contends that the new bus stand project could be implemented even without cutting off those 7 tamarind trees. Therefore, the respondents including the district collector are directed to file a detailed counter. There shall be an interim injunction directing the Salem revenue divisional officer not to grant any permission to cut down seven tamarind trees, pending disposal of this writ petition,” Justice Swaminathan held.

The petitioner alleged that executive officer, Mallur panchayat, sent a communication on March 28 stating that a proposal has been made to construct a bus stand in Mallur and requested the highways department’s divisional and assistant divisional engineers to cut down 7 tamarind trees situated along the highway at Mallur.

“On receiving that communication, the highways department on April 13 had written to the revenue divisional officer to grant permission to cut off the tamarind trees. No bus stand/bus stop is required at the concerned place as all the heavy vehicles, transports are using an outer bypass. Already, a 100-year-old tree has been illegally cut off and a complaint has been made in this connection with the police,” the petitioner added.