Prosopis Juliflora: Madras High Court on Invasive Species in Tamil Nadu

The Madras High Court issued a set of 34 directions for the eradication of the exotic and invasive species prosopis juliflora (seemai karuvelam) from Tamil Nadu.

Directives of Madras High Court

• All private landowners must uproot  prosopis juliflora plants from their properties within 30 days failing which the district administration concerned shall deracinate them and recover the costs from the landowners.

About Prosopis juliflora

• Origin: Prosopis juliflora is native to Central and South America.
• Family: Fabaceae
•  It is an invasive alien plant species.
• It is  locally known as Vilayati Kikar or Gando Baval.
• It was introduced in India during the colonial period for purposes such as afforestation, soil stabilization, and fuelwood supply.
• • The tree has systemically taken over the Delhi ridge, making it difficult for other native species to grow.

Key Features

• Drought Resistant: It is a drought-resistant and highly hardy species, capable of surviving extreme climatic conditions.
• Extensive Root System: It is a fast-growing plant with a deep and extensive root system, enabling it to extract groundwater efficiently.
• Thrive in Arid Conditions: It can thrive in arid and semi-arid regions, including degraded and saline soils.
• Dense and impenetrable Thickets: It forms dense and impenetrable thickets, making its removal difficult and costly.

Distribution in India

• It is widely distributed across states such as Rajasthan, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and parts of the Deccan Plateau.

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Impact of Prosopis juliflora

• Land Degradation: Prosopis juliflora has led to severe degradation of fertile lands, grasslands, and forest ecosystems by transforming them into barren areas.
• Soil Structure Damage: It destroys the natural mossy and spongy structure of forest soil, thereby reducing soil fertility and productivity.
• Loss of Biodiversity: The species has aggressively displaced native flora, leading to a significant loss of biodiversity and ecological balance.
• Invasive Dominance: It acts as a dominant invasive species, creating a monoculture and enjoying ecological monopoly over large areas.
• Groundwater Depletion: Prosopis juliflora consumes excessive groundwater, resulting in the depletion of the groundwater table in affected regions.
• Reduced Soil Moisture: It reduces soil moisture levels, making the environment unsuitable for the growth of other plant species.
• Ecological Imbalance: Its spread has caused ecological imbalance and reduced the availability of productive land and grazing resources.

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