BMC buys 7,200 trees from Andhra for Rs 10 lakh

Amidst opposition from the environmentalists a team of officials from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation officials has bought 7,200 trees from Andhra Pradesh for Rs 10 lakh.

Amidst opposition from the environmentalists a team of officials from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation officials has bought 7,200 trees from Andhra Pradesh for Rs 10 lakh.

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Civic officials bought 20 varieties of trees—including palm trees and Gulmohar—from nurseries in Andhra Pradesh to be transplanted in Mumbai despite objections from environmentalists who recommended that there was no need to buy trees from nurseries outside the state.

The cost of each tree, including transportation costs, has worked out to Rs 130 to Rs 140.

The idea of planting trees was announced by Additional Municipal Commissioner R.A Rajeev at a press conference recently. Rajeev had said, “Today’s generation is very restless and wants quick results. So rather than waiting for a sapling to grow into a tree we have decide to plant big trees in the city.”

Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Gardens), Chandrashekhar Rokde said the first batch of trees will be bought to the city in seven days and the remaining will arrive seven days later.

All the trees will not be planted immediately because of the water crisis. Rokde said only 250 to 300 trees will be planted initially while the rest will be nurtured at the nursery in the Byculla zoo. If all the trees are planted at once and they are not watered properly they might die and hence the remaining trees will be planted in the monsoon, said Rokde.

Most of the trees are 10 to 15 feet tall. “I wish to plant these trees at Worli sea face as there is space available there but no trees,” said Rokde who is still in Andhra Pradesh.

Environment activists are irked. “They could have easily bought the trees from the existing nurseries in the city,” said environmentalist Rishi Aggrawal. “What was the need to go to Andhra?”