The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) plans to increase the green cover in the city by planting 15,000 trees and distributing around 12,333 saplings to housing societies, organisations and NGOs.
After a torrid and painful monsoon, courtesy potholes, uneven roads and bumpy rides, there's some good news for Mumbaikars.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) plans to increase the green cover in the city by planting 15,000 trees and distributing around 12,333 saplings to housing societies, organisations and NGOs.
Advocate Trupti Puranik, appearing for corporation on Tuesday, filed an affidavit in the Bombay High Court, stating that the civic body is taking every step needed to increase the number of trees in the city and to protect and preserve them.
The affidavit filed by Sahebrao Gavit, superintendent of garden and trees department, also states that it has started geo-tagging trees and conducting their census in all 24 wards, and work in 18 wards is complete. Till now, 24,93,855 trees have been surveyed.
In a relief for suburbs, which has seen over 1,000 trees die after being infected with the mealy bug, BMC has identified 42 indigenous trees, which can grow in Mumbai's weather conditions and are strong and hardy. It also said that in the recently held 'plant trees' campaign of July 1, initiated by the state government, 7,950 trees were planted on the premises of the civic headquarters.
The details were provided during the hearing of a public interest litigation filed by a Khar resident, Zoru Bhathena. As per the petition, since 2010, trees between Khar and Borivli have been infected by the mealy bug and the BMC has not been able to identify any cause or cure. The petition prayed for directions to the BMC to protect the trees, replace dead ones with new and take steps to increase the tree cover in the city.
The BMC, in its reply filed earlier, had stated that infestation on trees occurs at a height of 50 feet, which poses as a hurdle for civic officials as they are unable to spray chemicals that high. However, all steps are being taken to ensure trees are saved, it had added.
As per the corporation, since 2010, a total of 2,104 rain tress have been infected by the mealy bug in the city and 1,108 of them died and 853 had to be removed. The court has now asked the state government to put on record the steps it has taken to increase the green cover in Maharashtra and posted the matter for further hearing after four weeks.
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