Villagers near Veppur seek translocation of felled 70-year-old ‘holy’ banyan tree
The residents are confident that the administration would consider their divine appeal in a positive way.
The felled 70-year-old banyan tree in Ranipet district
RANIPET: It was a rare experience for Ranipet Collector S Valarmathi during the grievance day meeting on Monday as a group of residents from Kil Puransa Medu instead of seeking basic amenities made a novel request – to translocate a banyan tree that was cut down 10 days ago by the Highways Department in their area.
Sources said that the Highways Department cut down a 70-year-old banyan tree, which was worshipped as the family deity (Kula Deivam) by 500-odd residents of Kil Puransa Medu, to widen the existing road at Veppur near Melvisharam.
D Udayakumar, a resident of Kil Puransa Medu, who is spearheading the demand to translocate the tree, told DT Next, “All residents are heartbroken after the tree was cut on February 15 to widen the existing road. The tree was the spot where all families performed the rituals for Kula Deivam.”
“All of us are unable to do any ritual and the family deity cannot be changed. So, we requested the Collector to issue orders to allow us to transplant the tree in a government ‘poromboke’ land on Survey Numbers 74 and 75/2, located nearby,” he said, adding, “Our petition has now been forwarded to the DRO for further action.”
Asked if the tree would come back to life since it has been lying in the open for nearly 11 days, Udayakumar said, “Locals have been watering its roots daily in the morning and evening. Some growth is visible on the razed tree underneath the trunk and along with it our hopes have also grown to revive our family deity.”
About the ‘poromboke’ land, he said a local education society was occupying it. Though it measured more than 3 acres, all that we needed to translocate the tree was just 20 square feet.
The residents are confident that the administration would consider their divine appeal in a positive way.