On a mission to improve green cover around waterbodies

Reviving traditional palm trees along waterbodies in Chennai suburbs to safeguard huge lakes and promote greening efforts.

The bunds of huge lakes and waterbodies in the suburbs that merged with the Chennai Corporation in 2021 were once dotted with palm trees. On the one hand, the palm trees had acted as the natural boundary of the waterbodies along the bunds, preventing encroachments and yielding fruits — as tamarind trees did once along the State Highways.

However, over the years, the city expanded and the bunds slowly made way for concrete structures such as walking tracks. Boundary walls replaced the bunds, and the palm and other trees on them.

Now, a group of residents’ welfare activists and environmental organisations are reviving the traditional trees to safeguard the huge waterbodies at Mudichur. After the idea was mooted by former Mudichur panchayat president P. Damodharan, voluntary organisations, including Vidhaigal Thannarva Amaippu, have come together for greening the waterbodies.

Under the project, around one lakh palm seeds will be sown in the Mudichur Periya Eri and other waterbodies in the Mudichur panchayat.

Mr. Damodharan says the Triveni Academy’s National Green Corps, the Federation of Mudichur Residents’ Welfare Associations, Vidhaigal Thannarva Amaippu, and Yoga Anjaneyar Annadhana Kuzhu are engaged in planting the palm seeds. The project has been up and running for more than 10 weeks.

He points out that the laying of the Irumbuliyur Outer Ring Road had caused the Mudichur Periya Eri to be cut in two, resulting in the loss of several trees.

To revive traditional trees at Mudichur, members of the Federation of Mudichur Residents’ Welfare Associations and the Women’s Welfare Association started planting palm tree seeds at the Chikana Lake a few years ago.