6,000 native seedlings to be planted along two highway stretches in Pudukottai district

The Pudukottai Forest Division has proposed to plant 6,000 seedlings of various tree species along the Pudukottai-Thanjavur and the Tiruchi-Karaikudi sections of the national highway. 

The seedlings are proposed to be planted under the Green Tamil Nadu Mission along the two national highway stretches with the twin objectives of minimising the impact of air pollution and enhancing green cover. The Pudukottai Forest Division has submitted the proposal for raising the nursery and planting and maintenance of the seedlings to the Green Tamil Nadu Mission authorities. This time the mandate for maintening the seedlings will be for three years, said an official of the Forest department. The seedlings would be raised at the department nurseries at Machuvadi in Pudukottai town and at Kolathur. 

“The physical work of planting seedlings along both sides of the national highway stretches is planned to be undertaken in the next financial year, between October and November 2026, the official added. The Pudukottai Forest Division has planted 5,000 seedlings of various native tree species along the Pudukottai-Thanjavur national highway stretch that falls under its territorial jurisdiction, as part of the Green Tamil Nadu Mission during the 2024-25 financial year, with funds provided by the NHAI. The proposed planting of 2,000 more tree seedlings aims to cover the remaining areas along the Pudukottai-Thanjavur highway stretch, the official said.”

The Pudukottai Forest Division planted 5,000 seedlings in its jurisdiction along the Tirumayam-Manamadurai and Tiruchi-Madurai national highway stretches during the previous fiscal year. The maintenance of the seedlings along the three highway stretches by the Forest Department will last for one year, until March 2026, after which they will be handed over to the NHAI authorities for their care, the official said.