Industrial Capacity

Against Eucalyptus THIS is with reference of K Ullas Karanth's 'In Defence of Eucalyptus' (March 12). I had no intention of estimating the botanical virtues of eucalyptus, but merely tried to assess its use in a particular socio-economic and natural environment. There are two aspects: first, who gains economically from the planting of eucalyptus in a particular social set-up; secondly, what are the ecological effects of the planting in a particular natural environment. Both these are independent of the inherent virtues or vices of the plant.