Chennai: A 3km long stretch of the Buckingham Canal along the East Coast Road at Kanathur, long overrun by the invasive Prosopis juliflora (seemai karuvelam), is being been transformed into a green corridor.Chennai forest officials cleared the thorny growth and planted 1,500 saplings of 12 native riverine species across five hectares, with financial support from Green Tamil Nadu Mission (GTM). Principal chief conservator of forests (research and education) and head of GTM I Anwardeen said that officials identified the stretch as heavily infested with the invasive shrub and obtained permission from water resources department (WRD) to clear it. The plantation drive aims to restore the degraded canal-side landscape, enhance urban green cover, improve air quality, aid carbon sequestration and promote native biodiversity, he said.“Identifying suitable space for plantations in the city and its suburbs has become increasingly difficult,” said district forest officer V A Saravanan. “Every bit of space is precious in the city and its suburbs,” he said. Clearing the invasive growth along the ECR side was particularly challenging and took more than a week before planting could begin, he added. Another stretch of the canal, along the Old Mahabalipuram Road, has been planted with a mix of native and mangrove species.To sustain the plantation, watering is carried out twice daily using a tanker attached to a tractor. As the area is frequented by grazing cattle, each sapling has been fitted with a thorn fence to prevent damage, he said.According to another official, saplings have been planted on the eastern side of the canal bund. “If the invasive growth on the western side is cleared, similar planting can be taken up there as well, making both banks a green lung,” the official said. The Buckingham Canal’s bund stretches 13km — from Muttukadu to Sholinganallur. Officials said that if WRD provides the required space, the initiative could be extended along the entire stretch.
