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Cyclone uproots over 25,000 teak trees

TIRUCHI: A whopping 25,284 teak and 2,500 sisoo trees raised along canal embankments in the Delta districts were uprooted by cyclone Nisha in November, according to the Forest Department.

Teams headed by senior department officials carried out an enumeration along 262 canal banks in Tiruvarur, Thanjavur and Nagapattinam districts last month. The numbers of uprooted trees were 10,412, 9,310 and 5,562 respectively. The teak trees were raised along the banks by the department to increase green cover, protect canal banks from erosion and encroachments, and generate revenue through timber sale. Some teak trees were 30 years old while several were between 10 and 30 years of age. The department had commenced the task of cutting the trees into billets and transporting them to the respective forest depots for sale, Conservator of Forests, Tiruchi Circle, Ramachandra Pathi told The Hindu here on Tuesday. Of the six depots functioning in the Delta, three are located in Thanjavur district, two in Tiruvarur and one in Nagapattinam district. Nearly 80 per cent of the trees would be treated as timber. Forests Minister N. Selvaraj visited and instructed officials to expedite the extraction work. Mr. Pathi said the department would auction the timber at the depots on February 11 in Tiruvarur district, on February 13 in Nagapattinam district, and on February 16 and 17 in Thanjavur district.

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