COIMBATORE: In a shocking incident that ironically coincides with Earth Day celebrations, unidentified miscreants drilled holes in the base of 13 trees on Race Course Road, one of the few ‘green’ areas in the city, and poured acid into it in an attempt to discreetly fell them.After the incident came to light, about 15 environmentalists petitioned the Revenue Divisional Officer on Sunday urging him to take action against those responsible for the act. According to an environmentalist who met the RDO, the incident is suspected to have occurred on Saturday night. The incident came to light when some early morning walkers noticed the trees with their damaged bases.Of the 13 trees, eight were lofty evergreen Polyalthia longifolia (false Ashoka) trees that are planted because of their effectiveness in reducing noise pollution.“Holes about 1 inch wide and 1 foot deep have been drilled at the base of the tree trunks and acid - presumably sulphuric acid - has been poured into them, blackening the base of the trees. This makes it easy to fell them,” an environmentalist said.Environmentalists suspected that the act could have been committed by residents of bungalows near the site where the trees stood. “The residents would have found the trees obstructing the area where they had planned to develop a lawn. The land where the trees stood is very much a part of Coimbatore Municipal Corporation property. Even if the residents had developed a lawn, it would not have been on their land. It is sad that they wanted to destroy fully grown trees,” said Mohammed Salim, president, Environmental Conservation Group, a voluntary organisation. The group of environmentalists had initially tried to meet the District Collector but since he was away, they submitted the petition at the Revenue Divisional Officer, S Santhakumar’s office.
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