Panvel civic body set to conduct its first tree census; to float tenders on March 30

Panvel City Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to conduct tree census in its node. The civic body will float the tenders on March 30.

Panvel City Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to conduct tree census in its node. The civic body will float the tenders on March 30.

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With the tree census, the civic body aims to get detailed information about the number and types of trees in its node, based on which PCMC will carry out preservation and plantation drives.

Tejaswini Galande, assistant municipal commissioner, PCMC, said, “The work for tree census will be awarded to a private agency which will be responsible for counting trees using different methods.”

“They will also share the age, type and location of existing trees. Once we get detailed information, we will plan plantation drive in the node. This is the first time that such a census will be done by PCMC,” said Galande.

It has been three years since PCMC was formed and till now no tree census has been carried out by the civic body.

The last tree census in Panvel was carried out by Panvel gram panchayat in 2008, but PCMC does not have the figures, hence, they will have to start from scratch.

An official from PCMC said, “As we have not done any tree census, we have no data on the number of trees. Whatever information will be shared during this census will become the base for tree census in future. We will try to brief the agency to get maximum information as it is being done for the first time.”

The tree counting process will be carried out in the green areas in Kharghar, Panvel, Kamothe, Kalamboli, Roadpali and Karanjade, which fall under Panvel node.

Environmentalists said they are happy with the decision of the civic body and that the process would give PCMC an idea about the state of the greenery in its node.

Rudra Singh, 45, an environmentalist, said, “It’s good that PCMC thought about counting trees. PCMC has not carried out any dedicated plantation drive till date. The fast-developing node under PCMC has turned into concrete jungle. The need of the hour is to increase green quotient.”

“There are many wetlands and water bodies under PCMC which have not been maintained and fell prey to dumping. The civic body should consider preserving these areas as well,” said Singh.

Many individuals are carrying out plantation drive wherein they plant saplings at stations and hill areas to add to the greenery. They also water and maintain the trees.

Kharghar residents have been planting saplings on Kharghar hills and open areas while people from Kamothe and Khandeshwar have been planting trees in railway station areas.

Amol Shitole, a member of non-governmental organisation Ekta Samajik Sanstha, which has been conducting tree plantation drive in and around Kamothe, said, “We, along with the residents, conduct tree plantation drives in open areas of Kamothe.”

Anna Ranawade, an environmentalist, said the civic body should plant local trees.

“While carrying out plantation drives, PCMC should plant resident trees such as jamun, mango, peepal, neem as they survive well in our climate and do not require much maintenance. The survival rate of these trees is high,” said Ranawade, who has organised tree plantation drives in Navi Mumbai.