City loses 103 trees in two weeks of rain

MUMBAI: In just two weeks of rain, the number of trees in the city fell by over 100. Since August 24, 109 trees have fallen, and the BMC says this is due to rains and gusty winds. The western suburbs lost the highest number of trees__54__while the eastern suburbs lost 18 and the island city, 37.
Environmental experts and civic activists say the rain is not the only culprit.Ashok Kothari, senior executive member of the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), said the problem could be the choice of tree species. "Most of the trees which have been planted are weak, and are more susceptible to even minor adverse conditions. They're planted only because they grow fast and look beautiful. But in the long run they do not serve any purpose,'' he said.
Friends of the Trees general secretary Nandkumar Naik said, "The BMC's negligence towards green cover has been appalling. In the name of development they recklessly hack trees and do not bother to replant or transplant them. And the success rate of transplantation has been dismal too.''
Many experts point out that the monsoon this year has not been rough enough to uproot trees. Contributing factors to the large number of trees lost are concretization and careless transplantation. The preferable way to transplant trees, they said, is to plant trees that are at least 10 to 15 feet tall, which can stand more firmly and grow with less difficulty.
Deputy municipal commissioner (gardens) Chandrakant Rokde told TOI, "The BMC is taking elaborate measures to replace the uprooted trees. We are getting approximately 500 trees immediately to be planted all over the city. These trees are more expensive than any that we've ever purchased, and about 15-20 feet tall. Each one has cost us about Rs 1,000. We're also going to replace small trees which were planted by the side of Marine Drive with tall coconut trees.''