Mumbai: At a time when the entire green cover of Mumbai is at risk, a Mumbai-based environmentalist is working towards giving life back to fallen trees. Sanjiv Valsan, a 44-year green warrior, has taken up the mission of replanting the trees that became victims of natural calamities. After a tree collapses, Sanjeev says, people often label it as dead and forget that it can be replanted.
“People often forget that an adult tree is more valuable than a sapling, which is why rehabilitation of the fallen trees is necessary,” Sanjeev told FPJ.
During the cyclone Tauktae that hit the city on May this year, more than two thousand trees were affected. Since then, Sanjeev and his team has taken up the work of replanting as many fallen trees as possible. He says that for the past few months he and his team has been working closely with multiple citizens’ groups and BMC.
“The administrative agencies have been supportive with us and I believe that the green cover of Mumbai could be restored and expanded only when everyone in the city works as a team,” Sanjiv said.
Sanjiv, who is also a photographer and filmmaker by profession, said that showing proper methods of transplantation to the people is necessary so that more trees could be saved.
“In case we find an abandoned tree, we take them to the Aarey forest and plant it. Aarey is the lungs of Mumbai and presently has a shortage of trees and one of the main objectives is to fill the gap,” said Sanjiv.
Sanjiv has been part of multiple reforestation projects for the last nine years and has been vocal during the Save Aarey Movement.
