<![CDATA[Awaaz Foundation

<![CDATA[Awaaz Foundation - News]]>Fri, 16 Sep 2022 22:05:45 +0530Weebly<![CDATA[How the Tree Hugging Movement got started in a small Indian village]]>Wed, 03 Apr 2019 18:30:00 GMThttp://awaaz.org/news4/how-the-tree-hugging-movement-got-started-in-a-small-indian-village

]]><![CDATA[Greens welcome plantation drive, but say existing trees need to be protected]]>Tue, 07 Jun 2016 18:30:00 GMThttp://awaaz.org/news4/greens-welcome-plantation-drive-but-say-existing-trees-need-to-be-protected

]]><![CDATA[Don't cut trees for beauty]]>Mon, 02 Nov 2015 01:49:38 GMThttp://awaaz.org/news4/dont-cut-trees-for-beauty

]]><![CDATA[This Independence Day, free a tree]]>Fri, 14 Aug 2015 18:30:00 GMThttp://awaaz.org/news4/this-independence-day-free-a-treedna

Home (/) » News (/news) » India (/india) » Mumbai (/mumbai)

This Independence Day, free a tree

Saturday, 15 August 2015 - 7:30am IST | Agency: dna | From the print edition Virat A Singh (/authors/virat-a-singh)

(https://twitter.com/)

Aarey Conservation Group is urging Mumbaikars to take photos of trees 'choked' with concrete, post them on social media sites, and pressurise authorities to take action

In an initiative that could prove to be a boon for thousands of trees (/topic/trees) 'choking' in Mumbai due to callous concretisation, the Aarey Conservation Group (ACG) – a body comprising various NGOs (/topic/ngos) and environmentalists – is urging Mumbaikars to come forward and help them free the trees of Mumbai. The campaign will kick off on August 15.

“It is a common sight in Mumbai to find scores of trees, some of which took decades to grow to their size, choking to death simply because the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) did not ensure that the contractors adhered to basic rules while repaving roads or pavements. The concrete or paver blocks are laid in such a way that they are right up to a tree's neck,” said Stalin D, project director of NGO Vanashakti, one of the ACG members.

He added that all this was leading to trees being deprived of soil and moisture. “This damages roots and finally results in trees' death. The rigidity of the trunk on account of cementing also does not allow trees to be flexible to winds, making them prone to falling,” he said.

Explaining their campaign in detail, Stalin said they wanted to make use of the fervour around Independence Day (/topic/independence-day) for the cause of environment. The group will invite Mumbaikars to take pictures of 'choked' trees and forward them through email or post on social networking sites, so that these trees can be freed.

“People should mention the location of trees in detail, including a landmark, along with their names and contact details. ACG will collate this data and take it up with respective ward offices and the Tree Authority to ensure that the concrete around the trees is removed. We also plan to eventually upload details of the 'liberated' trees and names of their 'rescuers' on our website,” said Stalin.

The ACG, including members of Greenline, SPROUTS, National Environment Watch and AGNI along with several residents and environment enthusiasts, will start the campaign on August 15 and continue it depending upon the public response.

Environmentalist Sumaira Abdulali, who has taken pictures of around 250 such trees in Bandra, Khar, Santacruz and Juhu, welcomed the move. “I submitted my pictures to BMC, but nothing happened. But I feel if there is pressure from entire Mumbai, and there is a regular follow-up, the situation will improve. Mumbai is suffering due to loss of trees and green cover. There should be a pressure group that ensures that trees are saved,” she said.

“The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has already directed the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) to remove within three months all the concrete around tree trunks and bases, create proper basins and ensure that no construction or repair work is done in that space. The BMC, however, is extremely sluggish. Nothing is being done,” said Stalin.

Earlier, Vanashakti had presented to BMC a 14-month study done in collaboration with Jhunjhunwala College's botany department, explaining that one of the main reasons behind the deteriorating condition of trees was extensive concretisation of their 'critical root zone'. The trees are then stressed for water and subsequently fall prey to pests and fungus. Concretisation also prevents aeration of roots and their interaction with soil, nutrients and moisture. The NGO is fighting the case in NGT, which has directed the BMC to clear all concrete, paving blocks and rubble around avenue trees and construct basins of nutrient-rich soil measuring 1x1x1m.

How can you help

Find a tree whose trunk is choked with concrete or paver blocks
Take a picture
Note the street name, area, location and a few landmarks to help identify the location of your tree (eg Padmavati Road, Near Westin Hotel, off the Western Express Highway, Goregaon (E), P South Ward_
Upload the image with details on Facebook page of Aarey Conservation Group (https://www.facebook.com/AareyConservationGrp) or tweet the picture and details on @ConserveAarey with #FreeTheTree or email the details on aareyconservationgroup@gmail.com

Partner site: Zee News (http://zeenews.india.com)

About DNA (/about) Contact us (/contact) Advertise (/services/advertise) Reprint Rights (http://www.dnasyndication.com) ©2015 Diligent Media Corporation Ltd.

]]><![CDATA[Trees find no mention in Mumbai’s draft plan maps]]>Tue, 07 Apr 2015 18:30:00 GMThttp://awaaz.org/news4/trees-find-no-mention-in-mumbais-draft-plan-mapsNews Home » City » Mumbai

Trees find no mention in Mumbai’s draft plan maps
Clara Lewis | TNN | Apr 8, 2015, 03.44 AM IST

MUMBAI: Citizen activists have protested the absence of tree data along with the draft Development Plan 2034.

Activist Sumaira Abdulali said finalizing the plan without disclosing the trees on the proposed development area was directly contrary to the intent and procedure prescribed under section 19(a) of the Tree Act. "The Act mandates that the Tree Authority must first satisfy itself that it is necessary and feasible to fell trees at a proposed site, and only thereafter is the municipal corporation entitled to sanction building plans,'' said Abdulali.

Pankaj Joshi, architect and executive director, Urban Design Research Institute, said while trees cannot be shown on DP maps, BMC should have provided the tree census data with the DP document. "It is inexcusable that the data has not been provided,'' he said.
Top Comment
Development Plan of Mumbai is a covert attempt to develop finances of BJP and Shiv Sena politicians of Maharashtra. Under the garb of development Housing Minister Prakash Mehta has announced plan to ... Read More
Aam Aadmi

Tree Authority member Niranjan Shetty said the census carried out about seven years ago showed approximately 20 lakh trees in the city. It does not include the Sanjay Gandhi National Park and Aarey Colony. Shetty said the requirement was of five trees per person, but the data showed that the trees were inadequate.

"The Tree Authority had sanctioned a fresh census almost a year ago and the new data should have been available by now. The data should have been provided given the problems due to climate change,'' he said.

Architect and activist P K Das said urban city forests, like those on the Malabar Hill slopes and forests along the Irla nullah are not shown on the DP maps. "While trees along roads are not shown on the map, the slopes have been shown as recreation grounds, implying there are no trees here. Along the nullah, the map shows part of the urban forest as a road,'' he said. He said the BMC, as part of its forest project, had planted thousands of trees along the nullah.
]]>