Zaw Win Thay, chairman of Township Development and Peace Council (TDPC) in Falam issued a directive to uproot Jatropha trees that were planted to fence the vicinity of government office departments and public schools in Falam Township and Thang Tlang Township in Chin state after two people mistakenly consumed bio-diesel nut and got intoxicated.

Last year, an officer of the TPDC and a primary student from Falam were poisoned by Jatropha nuts and both were admitted to hospital. The latter died.

According to a source in Falam, local authorities in Falam asked teachers and students to destroy bio-diesel plants in the vicinity of schools.

"Its nut is toxic. What is worse the soil in which Jatropha trees are being planted is becoming uncultivable," said a source in government service in Chin state.

The bio-diesel trees have been planted in areas surrounding 200 schools in Falam Township spread over an estimated 100 acres.

Similarly, the move to destroy Jatropha plants in school areas is also on in Thang Tlang Township. Moreover, authorities have reportedly vowed to conduct the same move throughout Chin state this year.

According to a report of the authorities in Chin state, the government had already planted Jatropha trees on 100,000 acres of Chin state. The authorities had proposed planting Jatropha trees over 500,000 acres in the state.

Since early 2006, authorities in Chin state introduced the Jatropha tree that would generate bio-diesel and forced local people to grow it on hillsides and around public buildings. -KNG