18 October,2017 05:00 PM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet Jadhav
BMC starts inviting housing societies to bring home full grown trees that would have otherwise been chopped down for infrastructure projects across the city
The death of nearly 25 full-grown trees, which were uprooted to make way for the Metro 2A (Dahisar to DN Nagar) project and later transplanted near Aarey Colony, has compelled the civic body to come up with a new solution to save the city's full grown trees.
After encouraging citizens to take home small trees and shrubs, the BMC is now inviting housing societies to 'adopt' 20 to 30-ft-tall, mature trees, which would otherwise have come under the axe to make way for infrastructure projects around the city. Over five housing societies in the western suburbs have already shown interest in adopting the huge trees.
A tree being uprooted for transplantation
In April, mid-day had reported how 25 of the 100-odd trees, which were transplanted to a plot in Aarey, were lying lifeless due to lack of supervision. In order to ensure that other trees uprooted due to road-widening and infrastructure projects don't meet this fate, the BMC has decided to put them up for adoption, rather than allow the construction agencies to re-plant them in a remote location.
The BMC has roped in Malad resident Subhajit Mukherjee, founding member of NGO Lets Green Foundation, to help with the transplanting process. "Over the past few months, we've had meetings with senior officials from BMC's garden department, where we discussed the idea of adopting mature trees. BMC has promised us all cooperation and even agreed to bear the entire cost of transplanting the tree in the society," said Mukherjee. The society, on its part, has to only furnish an NOC in writing, stating that it would look after the tree, after the transplantation, said JS Pardesi from the BMC garden's department.
Mukherjee said that the BSNL office in Juhu has already shown interest in adopting around 10 mature trees, and will also be submitting an NOC soon. "Five other societies are also keen to adopt," he added.
Not as easy task
According to green activists, while the plan appears to be great on paper, experts should be roped in to ensure that the transplantation process is smooth. "It's a good initiative, but while carrying out transplantation in a housing society, the BMC and the society should take help of botanists, who are in a better position to state if the condition of the soil is suitable for a particular tree species or not," said Anil Rajbhar, a botanist. Rajbhar also said that residents should be fully committed to nurturing the tree. "For transplantation, an area which is free of concrete should be selected for the tree. Also, an adequate pit should be dug up depending on the size of the tree. Once transplanted, residents will have to ensure that the tree is regularly watered too," he said.
Subhajit Mukherjee, of Lets Green Foundation, who will help with the transplanting process
Saying yes to adoption
Excited about the new initiative, Anand Ganesh, a resident of a housing society in Borivli West said, "Since childhood, I have wanted to participate in initiatives that would help increase the tree cover in the city. When Mukherjee told us that we could adopt mature trees, I approached my society's secretary and spoke to him about the idea. Once we get the NOC, we will adopt at least two to three trees in our society premises." Ganesh is also spreading the word among his friends and neighbouring societies, who have ample amount of space to plant trees.
