“The tree is more than first a seed, then a stem, then a living trunk, and then dead timber. The tree is a slow enduring force straining to win the sky” said French poet Stuart Gilbert. But for the pervert Jayalalitha and her regime nothing reminding the DMK and its rule should endure through times. How can trees and rare plants, whatever be their worth for generations to come, be exceptions? ‘The Times of India’ daily on April 16 published a painful story “Trees in parks wither away without water, care”, giving details of medicinal plants in Kotturpuram Park and indigenous trees in Semmozhi Poonga, both opened during the previous DMK rule, are dying slowly due to the indifference of the ADMK government and ADMK-led Chennai Corporation. The daily had also published photographs of dying rain tree in Semmozhi Poonga and dried up saplings of the medicinal Poo marunthu tree and Azhinji due to want of watering, an old resident carrying two buckets of water filled by a woman through hand pump to pour them to save a dying tree.
During the Mayoralty of Thalapathi M.K.Stalin, he successfully implemented his vision of ‘Singara Chennai’, enlisting the whole-hearted cooperation of the resident of the city. His successor M.Subramanian carried out the mission with the same zeal and was able to overcome the damage caused during the interim dark period of ADMK regime between 2001 and 2006. Hundreds of parks of various dimensions at every available space on the sides and corners of streets were developed and carefully maintained to the appreciation of local residents who enjoyed strolling and children playing. The Kotturpuram Tree Park on River View Road is one such park developed by the Chennai Corporation after it took over from the PWD in 2010 during DMK rule, enlisting the support of a trust Nizhal which was responsble for planting and caring for the trees. The five acre park was set up by resident welfare associations after the PWD requested them to get involved. The corporation built a walking track, set up benches and provided one sump; the park has been sidelined now as all others in the city. Many of the saplings are dry or wilting and enclosures for rare Ayurvedic species are empty. The park has some of the city’s best known medicinal trees like poo marunthu or Pride of India that is known to cure diabetes, the nochi plant that keeps away mosquitoes, and azhinji, earlier used for anti-rabies treatment. It showcases indigenous trees and other rare species include Ceylon tea tree, sour lime tree and indigo tree. Student volunteers planted saplings along the river banks. But now due to the indifference of the ADMK-led corporation the park is grappling with a sever manpower and water shortage. Locals maintain the park by carrying buckets of water for the plants. Residents say a park of this size requires at least 10 people to maintain it and three pumps. Residents who helped build the park during DMK rule say they hope the civic body comes to the rescue of saplings. But when the daily had spoken to the present ADMK Mayor Saidai Duraisamy, he had refused to talk about the park. Indeed, a ‘true loyalist, of Jayalalitha.
The DMK government took back the possession of the government owned huge land area worth Rs.200 crore on Cathedral Road adjacent to Anna flyover on Anna Salai ‘gifted’ to an ADMK man by the Jayalalitha regime and converted it into a prestigious park and named it as ‘Semmozhi Poonga’. It was frequented by people from all over the city and visitors to the city with their children for its excellent natural ambience, ponds with fishes and amusements for kids. Maintained by the State government’s Horticulture department it had very rare plants and trees acquired from all over the world and carefully nurtured. But now it looks pathetic with dried ponds and wilting plants and four of the largest trees- a raintree, two Arjuna trees and an Ashoka tree are dying . Last year the daily ‘Deccan Chronicle’ published an article with photographs of its earlier appearance and the present conditions. These are the conditions of all parks in Chennai city and elsewhere. In certain areas, upper middle class residents maintain the parks spending from the funds of their residents’ associations.
But none of these write-ups and people’s annoyance had any effect on this egotistical and cavalier regime of Jayalalitha, for whom anything associated with and even remotely reminding the DMK rule- be it the millennia-old Tamil language or trees and plants that are to thrive for decades to come - is a sin to look at, hear of and speak about. The posterity of Tamil Nadu will also have to suffer due to a day’s grave mistake committed by the voters of this period in May 2011. r
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