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DNA Micro Edit: It's time for BMC to take the 'trunk call' seriously

With the growing concrete cover and glass buildings contributing to the urban heat island effect, trees remain the only hope to combat the temperature upswing

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The need for development in the city is crucial — be it the construction of a metro rail, widening of roads or construction of residential and commercial buildings. But should development be allowed at the cost of the diminishing tree cover?

With the mercury touching 38.8 degree Celsius in February, which was the second highest temperature for that month in the last one decade, and remaining high in March and April, Mumbaikars were made to sweat it out. What's worse? May has not even arrived yet. With the growing concrete cover and glass buildings contributing to the urban heat island effect, trees remain the only hope to combat the temperature upswing. But with the green cover fast disappearing, is there any hope left?

Environmentalists allege that the BMC — the custodian of trees in the city — seem to have no plan in place to tackle the problem.

According to experts, the road map is simple. The civic body will need to set annual goals for the next five years to not only protect trees, but to also ensure tree plantation is carried out systematically in areas that have rapidly been concretised. The Garden and Trees department needs more teeth, and regular tree trimming has to become more scientific. The agencies asked to carry out transplantation or compensatory plantation need to be pulled up if trees die due to negligence.

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