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Green Campus Cleared for Building: City Loses Vital Eco-Hub
20 Mar
Summary
- Large rain trees were cut on a school campus for a new government building.
- An NGO reported the campus as a crucial green lung and potential biodiversity park.
- Construction ignored flood plain risks and the area's role in absorbing water.
In T'puram, a state government project has led to the removal of numerous large rain trees on the Chalai government high school campus. A new state headquarters for Samagra Shiksha Keralam was inaugurated on March 11, replacing a significant portion of the campus's green space. This development has drawn criticism for its disregard for the eco-sensitive nature of the city-center campus.
An environmental NGO, Tree Walk, previously submitted a report in July 2021 detailing the campus's ecological value. The report emphasized the area as the only substantial green lung in the congested locality, home to 36 plant species and a documented 48 bird species, including rare and migrant varieties. The NGO suggested its potential as a biodiversity park.
Beyond the loss of biodiversity, the construction on this open space, located within the flood plains of the Killi River, poses increased flood risks to the densely populated neighborhood. This area previously absorbed floodwaters, but its conversion to a built-up zone diminishes this crucial natural function during heavy rainfall.
