Ensure less trees die after being transplanted, Bombay High Court panel tells MMRCL

Ensure less trees die after being transplanted, Bombay High Court panel tells MMRCL

This comes after the committee comprising of Justices Indrajit Mahanty and Amjad Sayed was informed that out of the 1483 newly transplanted trees, a total of 824 have died.

Narsi BenwalUpdated: Thursday, July 04, 2019, 07:43 AM IST
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Mumbai: The Bombay High Court Tree Committee comprising of two sitting judges on Wednesday emphasised on the need to improve the survival rate of the trees, which have been transplanted by the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) to compensate the chopping down of over 3000 trees for the controversial Metro III line. The committee also asked the MMRCL to spell how it would ensure that more transplanted trees survive.

This comes after the committee comprising of Justices Indrajit Mahanty and Amjad Sayed was informed that out of the 1483 newly transplanted trees, a total of 824 have died.

The panel was further informed that the death rate of these transplanted trees has increased from 43 per cent in June 2018 to 56 per cent in May 2019.

The panel was dealing with a reference made by the then Chief Justice of the HC, who dealt with the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by activist Zoru Bhathena against the MMRCL’s decision to chop down trees for paving way for its underground Metro III line.

On Wednesday, Bhathena informed the judges that of the 1483 transplanted trees, which were inspected by him and other stakeholders, 659 trees were found to be in good health.

However, to see 824 (56 per cent) trees dying under MMRCL’s care is a matter of grave concern. To see more and more trees dying on every visit is also a clear indicator that the tree care is woefully inadequate,” Bhathena pointed out.

He further argued, “If MMRCL can construct a world-class Metro for the welfare of our city, they can surely provide the same world-class care for the city trees.”

During the course of the hearing, the committee also perused the report of the junior tree committee led by the Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority (MSLSA). The junior committee too highlighted the deteriorating death rate of the trees.

Having considered the submissions, the judges said, “Let the MMRCL spell how it would improve the survival rate of the trees. We believe that everyone must focus on improving the survival rate at any cost.”

“Lack of trees and the degradation to the environment affects each one of us and it is the duty of each one of us to improve it,” the judges opined.

During the course of the hearing that went on for over two hours, the panel was further informed that the MMRCL has used plastic bands to identify the transplanted trees.

“However, these bands will strangulate the tree as it grows. This sort of banding, particularly inside the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) where tree are left to grow wild, will cause the eventual death of these trees, which is self-defeating. Such fixed plastic bands cannot be permitted to be used to tag saplings,” Bhathena pointed out.

The panel was further urged to issue orders to the MMRCL to start transplanting more than 3000 new tall trees at its 26 metro station sites.

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