Free The Tree
In 2017, GreenLine along with 120 students from St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous), Mumbai carried out a survey to identify the trees choked with concrete and rubble at the base, without any tree basin. This study was done in 19 municipal wards of Mumbai. 2,081 trees were found out who were choked with concrete and rubble at the base.
Scientists suggest that the cement restricts the growth of tissues in the lower half of the tree bark and gives no scope for the expansion of cells. The concrete and rubble affect development of roots and weakens tree base while the tree does not get enough nutrients. This results in tree getting damaged and uprooted during monsoons due to their contracted base.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT), Western Bench on 16 January 2015 had directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to remove all the concrete and rubble within a radius of one metre (1m X 1m X 1m) around tree trunks and to ensure that no construction or repair work is done in that space for all the trees in the city.
The collected data of 2,081 trees was submitted to the superintendent of gardens and the municipal commissioner of Mumbai. Senior officials from garden department took cognisance of the survey report and directed the ward officers to submit fresh report regarding number of deconcretised tree bases.
BEFORE | Concreted Tree Base
