The Green Park near Panjapur in Tiruchi was developed after the Corporation appealed to the public to help in developing it as a recreational spot about 25 years ago.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Activists in Tiruchi submitted a petition to Corporation Commissioner V. Saravanan seeking immediate action against cutting down trees at Green Park in Panjapur on the Tiruchi-Madurai National Highway for the construction of an integrated vegetable market.

The petitioners, C. Balasubramanian, advisor, District Exnora; K.C. Neelamegham, State treasurer, Makkal Sakthi Iyyakam; and K. Sivakumar, convenor, Treechy Lovers, questioned the need for allotting 22 acres of land in Green Park for the construction of the market when government land was available to the required extent near the highway.

They recalled that the civic body had requested the residents and NGOs to contribute towards the formation of the Green Park about 25 years ago as a recreational space. Many individuals and organisations, including the Exnora, had responded to the call. However, the announcement to build a market on the same site came as a shock to them, the petition said.

“It is disheartening to know that hundreds of trees will be cut to for the development of a market. Although the civic body proposed to relocate the trees, it is quite impossible and expensive,” said Mr. Neelamegham.

The activists pointed out that the civic body had spent a substantial amount on constructing a market complex at Kallukudi, which remains unused.

They said the park would be a ‘healthy oxygen buffer zone’ for the upcoming integrated bus terminal at Panjapur and urged the officials to find an alternative site for the market instead of destroying the park.

A petition was submitted to the district administration.