Cyclone Ditwah: branches of a tree cut for safety on busy road in Chennai

At a rain-kissed, glistening CP Ramaswamy Salai on the morning of November 29, the tall stump of what would once have been an elegant Elephant earpod tree stood like a centurion-batter carrying the bat but defeated, having run out of partners. The felled branches are piled neatly around the stump. The stump is stripped of its bark, except for a patch clinging on to it. It also displays scars and bulbous growths, suggesting a chequered life. There are no leaves in sight.

T.D. Babu, member of Chennai District Green committee and a key member of tree conservation NGO Nizhal identifies this tree as an Elephant earpod tree, an exotic species that was introduced and naturalised in these parts much like the raintree. “The Elephant earpod tree makes a good avenue tree,” Babu adds 

When this journalist quizzed the people around about this particular example of the Elephant earpod tree, one of them pointed out that the tree had given way in its upper parts which seemed set for a fall, and therefore, had to be cut keeping public safety in mind.

The tree.
| Photo Credit:
PRINCE FREDERICK

Babu remarks: “The trees on C.P. Ramaswamy Salai are subjected to great stress: the cementing around them makes them weak; and the lights placed on them to draw attention to commercial establishments do not contribute positively to their health either. On this road, sometime ago, a commercial establishment had to be pulled up for abusing a tree. This Elephant earpod tree looks diseased and could have suffered abuse too. What has befallen this tree should set off alarm bells loud enough for Greater Chennai Corporation to hear: regular monitoring of tree health matters. And GCC should be proactive and prevent damage to the trees on its roads.”