By Saakshi Sharma
Chandigarh is losing its ‘City Beautiful’ status because of the decreasing green cover in the area. It has been noticed that hundreds of full-grown trees growing along various roads of Chandigarh and the parking areas are dying or have started to wither due to the reason that the area underneath these trees have either tar or are paved with interlocking bricks.
Dr.Harjit Singh Dhillon, horticulturist and ex executive engineer (horticulture), Chandigarh Administration, said, “Trees are dying. Our responsibility does not end by simply planting a sapling, but we need to care for it. Chandigarh is a beautiful city, the negligence towards trees while construction of buildings and roads needs to stop.”
A single tree provides cooling of 10 air conditioners. It not only provides oxygen and shade but is also home to birds and many living organisms. A tree is a future investment for the coming generations, he said.
THE PROBLEM:
The condition of trees is miserable these days. He mentioned that there is a special team of 10-15 doctors in China that are specifically recruited in divided areas where they care for the green cover belt.
The construction of multi-level basement parking in malls has declined the water level. Now the roots of trees are unable to get water for photosynthesis and are slowly withering away.
- It has been noticed that hundreds of full grown trees growing along various roads of Chandigarh and the parking areas are dying or have been start wilting due to the reasons that the area underneath these trees have either tarcol or paved with interlocking bricks.
- With the results the rain water as well as the portable water by tankers is not liable to approach to their feeding roots.
- The second reason of declining of these trees is the aeration of the feeding roots block its respiration and ultimately the plant roots died and so as the trees.
- The third reason is the subsoil water is going down beyond the reach of trees tap root due to continuous de-watering of multi level basements of malls and sky touching buildings.
Having contributed more than 40 years to plant trees in the area, Dr.Harjit Singh says he is deeply pained after seeing present status of trees due to human negligence.
WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE?
Dr.Harjit Singh feels that the government should take the initiative to save trees, that would in turn save the ‘City Beautiful’ title. There must be strict laws and guidelines dealing with architectural planning and landscaping of the city that prevent cutting of trees. There is a need for a separate Horticulture department in Municipal Corporation that has experts from horticulture background.
A survey of dry trees of tricity maybe conducted to replace dead trees with new saplings of 6-7 ft height. The sapling is to be protected with strong tree guards with a basin dug with help of JCB of minimum six feet diameter. It needs to be done to avoid the ugly look and to overcome the lost green cover. The health department should be given punishable instructions not to allow burning of dried leaves under these trees. The administration of tricity should ensure that no tree in future should die due to the said reasons.
- The only solution to save these trees to make at least six feet basins with their level below the surrounding concrete / pavers so that the rain water or tanker water rush to their stem for their survival.
- No raged pakka platform should be made around the tree trunks. The health department should be given punishable instructions not to allow burning of dried leaves under these trees.
The undue cutting of green trees for construction work, widening roads in the name of flyovers maybe given due consultation and multiple thoughts before loss of green avenue for which Tricity is famous.
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