Over a year on, transplanted trees at Raman Thangal Lake in Sholinganallur stand dead
Trees relocated during the restoration of Raman Thangal Lake in Sholinganallur have failed to survive more than a year after their transplantation. Local residents and activists highlight that the lack of post-transplant care has left the saplings as standing deadwood.
More than a year after several trees were transplanted to the banks of Raman Thangal Lake in Sholinganallur as part of a restoration project, the trees have shown no signs of growth and are now confirmed to be dead. The transplantation was initially carried out to make way for embankment strengthening and walkway construction.
Environmental activists and local residents pointed out that the failure is largely due to insufficient maintenance and lack of regular watering following the relocation process. Many of the trunks have completely dried out, with bark peeling off, indicating that the root systems failed to establish in the new soil conditions.
The Greater Chennai Corporation and the Water Resources Department had overseen the lake improvement works, which included the relocation of these trees. However, observers note that the survival rate of transplanted trees in the region remains low when specialized arboricultural care is not provided consistently. Source: News Reports.
