The BMC’s garden department has removed cement concrete base from around 983 trees, 1,325 advertisement boards and 94 kilo of nails from the bark of 6,178 trees across the city in a special drive. Called Vruksha Sanjivani Abhiyan (giving life to trees), the drive to free tree bases of concrete, removing nails and cables kicked off on April 18 and was reported by the Free Press Journal.
Recently, Mumbai was announced as one of the world’s tree cities by Arbor Day Foundation, an American non-profit membership organisation dedicated to planting trees. Civic officials said concretised base prevents growth and has been replaced with fertile soil for many. Advertising banners stuck to trees with nails also harm them and have been removed from scores of trees, along with power and digital TV cables.
Garden superintendent Jitendra Pardeshi said, “Due to junk and nails, sometimes the trunk of trees gets decomposed. It has been seen that because of concretisation, roots stop growing and fail to soak water from soil. Therefore, the BMC undertook this drive with the help of citizens, students and NGOs.” The NGOs involved were Parle Vruksha Mitra, Ekta Manch, River March LCC and Angholichi Goli.
The drive will continue till April 23, which is observed worldwide as Earth Day. The BMC will then also announce the total amount of waste collected. On the drive’s first day at Lower Parel, 300 trees were cleansed of scrap and 30 kg nails were removed.
