Mumbai civic body starts treating termite-hit trees in Mumbai after residents find them infected

BMC officials treat 21 trees in Bandra, say will treat the remaining infected trees next week

After residents of Mount Mary Road found 49 out of 189 trees along this road infected with termites in a privately organised inspection, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has finally taken heed of their pleas to intervene and will complete treating the infected trees before the city witnesses heavy rains.

Residents of Mount Mary Road found 49 out of 189 trees along the road infected with termites in a privately organised inspection. (HT FILE)

On Friday, a team of four officials from the BMC’s garden cell began to treat trees along Mount Mary Road, as part of a long -term plan to disinfect them completely. Dev Munde, an official from the garden cell, said, “We treated 21 trees on Friday, which we found severely infected. Even though the residents found 49 infected trees, we found fewer on reinspection. The remaining trees surrounding these ones will be treated next week.”

Presently, the BMC has taken up treating the bark of the trees, by scraping off the top infected layer, and spraying it with a disinfectant. It will take up soil treatment of the area only after the monsoon, as it requires the soil to be completely dry. Over the next nine months, the civic body will treat the trees three consecutive times to disinfect them. Munde said, “At that time, we will treat all trees as a precautionary measure.”

Local corporator Asif Zakeria then wrote to the BMC asking it to intervene. He said, “The task was taken up by the Mount Mary Road ALM (Advance Locality Management), but it did not have enough money to do this. Following our requests, the BMC has begun treating the trees.”