Transplanted tree survival rate 40% in Mumbai

Despite heavy criticism on transplantation of full-grown trees, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been encouraging it. Over the years, a 50% rise in tree transplantation has been recorded.

In 2010, around 20,000 trees were transplanted in the city. The civic body last year spent around Rs2 crore to import trees from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Pune. Meanwhile, the survival rate of these trees has been less than 40%. “Trees were transplanted at Bandra sea face, Haji Ali, Worli sea face,” said Vilas Chawri, chairman of garden committee.

The members of the tree authority too had been thwarting the transplantation policy. Earlier tree authority had also proposed that a month-wise score of the number of trees transplanted will be maintained.

“The civic body has a practice of importing exotic trees from neighbouring cities. But they don’t verify whether the transplanted trees will acclimatise to the city’s weather. Poor maintenance leads to them increasingly wither away,” said a member of tree authority.

With larger number of trees transplanted, lesser numbers of saplings were rooted last year, Chawri added. “Usually municipal councillors plant trees. But last year none of the plants were rooted due to mismanagement of the garden department. They have not provided tree guards and manure.”

Meanwhile deputy municipal commissioner (gardens) Chandrasekhar Rokade refuted the claims.