Concrete boundaries around trees uprooting city’s green cover: experts

PUNE The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)’s construction of concrete boundaries around trees are weakening the roots and eventually killing trees, according to experts and environmental lovers

PUNE The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)’s construction of concrete boundaries around trees are weakening the roots and eventually killing trees, according to experts and environmental lovers.

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Pune which was once known for its dense green cover is losing it rapidly.

In 2019 around Dussehra, a grand old peepal tree collapsed on Tilak road causing a roadblock for hours.

According to Gurudas Nulkar, a member of the Pune ecological society the tree which had weathered many storms fell because of the sheer negligence of the authorities.

“In their attempt to beautify, they had built a cement bridge around the tree’s roots. This tree fell because when the authorities built a cement bridge around this tree, the girth of the tree was less, over time it grew in circumference, the hole in the cement remained the same. The roots are spread as far apart as the branches of a tree. Even large trees can withstand storms if the roots are protected. But if this area becomes weak, the tree is in danger. Cement bridge did not allow the roots of the tree to grow causing it to fall,” Nulkar said.

He also added that excessive pruning of a branch can cause the plant to lose its balance and increase the load on the roots. Tilak road is still asphalt, but cement roads do not leave room for roots to spread. Had it not been for the cement, the peepal would have survived.

If bricks or mortar are used instead of cement, root growth is not stunted and their risk to the plant is reduced. Another advantage of Murbad surface is that rainwater can seep into the soil.

Nulkar stressed upon the importance of large trees, for no matter how old a tree is, it has the ability to digest carbon which is very important today.

Lokesh Bapat, another tree lover said, “The authorities are spending a lot of money on paver blocks, and cement footpaths, but they need to understand that the trees require at least one metre of open ground around its roots. If it is completely cemented how will it get oxygen and water? Instead of retaining the trees, they are weakening them and could be in danger for others.”

Ashok Ghorpade, superintendent of gardens, PMC, “We have given in writing to the tree authorities that areas around the trees should be left alone and that paver blocks and concrete boundaries limit the oxygen supply to the roots of the trees thus making them weak. We have been writing and making this point time and again to all the assistant commissioners who are also the tree authority officers for each ward.”