E-Paper
Greater Noida: Study reveals lack of maintenance kills 35-55% saplings planted in colleges
A study by the regional higher education officer (RHEO) of saplings planted during the plantation drive last year revealed that around 35% to 55% of those sowed
A study by the regional higher education officer (RHEO) of saplings planted during the plantation drive last year revealed that around 35% to 55% of those sowed in various colleges in the region were damaged and could not survive due to lack of maintenance.
On Sunday, the Noida district administration observed its annual plantation drive under which almost 936,000 saplings were planted in different areas of the districts. According to the district forest officer, only 10% to 20% saplings get damaged in protected and well-maintained areas, while in unprotected areas, around 60% to 70% are damaged.
“In the Gautam Budh Nagar district, a study of 70 locations revealed that various colleges had planted a total of 2,468 saplings and after three months, only 1,618 saplings survived while 850, about 35%, saplings got damaged or were washed away in rain,” said Dr RK Gupta, RHEO (Meerut & Saharanpur divisions).
“In Ghaziabad, a study of 55 locations revealed that of the 3,708 saplings planted, only 1,740 survived. In Meerut, (70 locations, 7,653 saplings), 54% saplings were damaged while in Baghpat (45 locations, 3,503 saplings) 39% were damaged. In Bulandshahr (60 locations, 4,206 saplings) and Hapur (35 locations, 2,598 saplings) the damages were 44% and 36%, respectively,” said Gupta.
“In the Meerut division (295 locations, 24,136 saplings), 45% saplings were destroyed while in Saharanpur division (190 locations, 15,215 saplings) 48.24% saplings washed away.
“There are no gardeners in government colleges. Self-financed colleges have no space as a majority of areas have been concretised. Majority of plants are planted in unprotected areas,” said Gupta.
District forest officer PK Srivastava said, “Only around 30 to 40% saplings survive in unprotected areas while in protected, well maintained areas, the survival rate is 80 to 90%.”
Lack of space within the premises forces educational institutes to plant saplings in areas outside colleges.
Dr Divya Nath, principal, Km Mayawati Govt Girls Post Graduate Degree College, said, “As there was no space in our college, we planted saplings outside campus in the Badalpur area. The site had been identified by the village pradhan. Maintenance of saplings at unprotected areas is very difficult,” she said.
Some said cattle grazing in areas where saplings are planted are also a problem in college. “Around 35% saplings survived in our college. Goats at times enter our college campus to graze, which destroys plants,” said Dr RS Panwar, principal, Mihir Bhoj Degree College, Dadri.
