Last Glance at what once used to be A TAPOVAN 177

This is probably the last few days left for the Greenery of the Agasthiarpatty Madura Coats Staff New Colony . As can be seen from the Video , Suganthiah and Rani Suganthiah who stay just 2 blocks away have spent a major part of their time during their last 25 years tending and nurturing the all around green camouflage that we see now in the entire area .

The huge Bluberry Tree is more than 100 years old if not more . Birds of all sizes and colours have made it their home since ages . Some Monitor Lizards ( UDUMBU ) have also been sighted on the tree .

Alas , construction work has now started and many a tree have already been felled .

Sad Indeed , we will be  leaving the place devoid of anything Green to our progeny .

BELOW IS MY EARLIER POST ON THE SUBJECT.


AGASTHIARPATTY, LATEST CAUSALITY  TO LAND MAFIA .

My association with Agasthiarpatty dates back to almost 45 years . The vast expanse of land which houses my present abode now was an open field which served as the Cricket Ground where Madura Coats Inter Unit Matches and Tirunelveli District League Cricket Matches were played on a regular basis . Yours Truely used to be a regular member taking part in these matches .
This was also the location where an All India Kabbaddi Tournament was conducted as part of the Madura Coats Centenary Year Celebrations . The place also used to boast of An Airstrip on which Small Aircrafts in use by the top Executives of MCL could land . The unused Airstrip till the very recent past used to serve as the training ground for yours truely included , 4 wheeler driving and training space for new Driving  Liscence Seekers

Come 1990 , our joy knew no bounds when these vacant lands were given away as plots for the Company Staff for Construction of their Homes at extremely nominal rates. That I was allotted a plot in the first row just 150 feet away from the Ambai to Papanasam highway was a definite boon .
Savings and a few borrowings later , we duly  completed our house in April 1991 , Our house had the distinction of being the first house in the New Agasthiarpatty Colony. Over the years innumerable houses have made their appearance.
Ambai , Kallidai , Papanasam being very close , Primary Health Center almost next door , not to forget the Ambai Railway  Station  and the many good schools around make this place a prime location for land investments .
The only sore point here is that the entire stretch of land from the Agasthiarpatty bus stand to the Primary Health Center is a pond during the rainy season with the water bodies finding no way out during both the Monsoons . Snakes , Mosquitoes and allied ailments associated with the waterborne diseases are a constant feature .

Now , why I write this piece is about the 90 feet or so of land in front of our house and the Papanasam Highway . 40 feet of land infront of our compound wall belong to our society and 15 feet of land near the highway is going to be taken for the road expansion work by the highways . This leaves a tiny 35 feet of land till now left untouched . Mind you this is the only stretch where water accumulates during the monsoon .

This small stretch of land is under litigation between the Adheenam and the Society . With tacit understanding between the two and support from  quarters that really matter , this small stretch has now been sold as plots of 625 sq feet and construction work is on in full swing so much so that people who used to walk for hardly a minute to reach the bus stop have to now traverse long distances to reach the very same place .

The unfortunate casualty in this greed of some amongst us are the 100 s of trees that are going to see the electrical  hacksaw blades cut into them and reduce them to firewood  . Now most of these trees  were planted and lovingly nurtured by the fair skinned ladies of the British Era who were stationed at Ambas as part of the elite workforce of the then

HARVEY MILLS , PAPANASAM .

It is tragic that when everyone is crying hoarse to retain and create new green cover, these Centenarian trees are sadly  going to see their end .

I do not for one moment blame the people who bought these places . Being a prime locality you and me would have  done  the same thing if we had the needs and means for the same .
It is the all powerful , you know who and those  sitting in their Airconditioned offices who who need to be blamed .

I only Pray God that the Waterbodies find a way out during the coming rainy season and do  not inundate our house where we have been staying for the last 30 years in peace .

PEOPLE SEEM TO BE LEARNING NO LESSONS FROM CHENNAI OR OTHER FLOODS .