Dozens of grown trees axed

Action will be taken against those responsible, says Khammam forest official

Taking up cudgels against alleged illegal axing of dozens of trees by miscreants in their village, a section of the aggrieved villagers, including several nature-lovers, of Chimmapudi in Raghunadhapalem mandal are running from pillar to post seeking urgent intervention of the authorities to save the remaining tree canopy in their village. The mass chopping of more than 45 fully grown tamarind trees, some of them a few decades old, by unidentified persons on the periphery of the village a few days ago, left the nature-lovers shocked. Veteran green crusader Padma Shri Daripalli Ramaiah, who had won wide acclaim for his unique social forestry initiatives, was virtually moved to tears by the ghastly scene of the leftover tree stubs at the site, hitherto a flourishing tamarind grove, during his visit to the village on Wednesday.