Hit by severe shortage of water, coconut farmers in TN districts felling trees

THOUSANDS of coconut farmers in Pollachi, Anaimalai, Kinathukadavu, and Udumalai taluks in Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts have been felling the trees they had nurtured lovingly as they could not stand the pain of seeing them wither due to lack of water.

- M SARAVANAN

Around 2.5 crore fully grown coconut trees are found in 1.6 lakh hectares of land in the region. Nearly 50% of these trees may perish in this unprecedented heat due to lack of adequate water. "Over the last two weeks, I had cut around 200 of 500 coconut trees in my farm as they had withered due to scorching heat and lack of water. If I had delayed cutting down these trees, I would not have got even the ₹1,000 which I'm getting now for the chopped timber.