Healing trees: IRS officer Rohit Mehra starts a tree hospital and ambulance in Amritsar

Neha Saini

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 12

From using plastic bottles to create vertical gardens and popularising the concept of micro-gardens and seed balls, IRS officer Rohit Mehra, who is known for his ‘green ideas’ has now come up with probably the nation’s first tree hospital and ambulance service.

For the initiative, Mehra has been working on several sustainable ideas to preserve green wealth and encourage low-cost and eco-friendly lifestyle ideas. Opening a tree hospital is just one of the many green initiatives this IRS officer has come up with.

32 kinds of services offered

• The tree hospital and ambulance service will safeguard plants as everything in our ecology is dependent on them. As many as 32 kinds of services such as removal of outgrowths, tree guards, nails, transplantation services for heritage trees, immunity boosters for plants and trees as required and expert care and advice is provided to those who seek it.
• The unique services have attracted the interests of city residents. Rohit has converted an e-rickshaw into a green ambulance that stocks necessary plant medication and the required equipment. He has also been creating awareness regarding preservation of green belt in the local community.

“The idea behind the tree hospital and ambulance service is to safeguard our plants as everything in our ecology is dependent on them. We offer 32 kinds of services such as removal of outgrowths, tree guards, nails, transplantation services for heritage trees, immunity boosters for plants and trees as required and provide expert care and advice to those who seek it,” said Rohit. Within just a month of its operation, Rohit and his team of 20 volunteers at the hospital has already received more than 300 queries.

“People call us to help them preserve some heritage trees in their backyards that have been compromised due to concretisation. Some seek help to protect plants from insect attacks and to provide them with immunity boosters. We also help in unpoisoning of plants,” he said.

The unique services have attracted the interests of city residents. Rohit has converted an e-rickshaw into a green ambulance that stocks necessary plant medication and the required equipment. He has also been creating awareness regarding preservation of green belt in the local community.

Through his latest initiative, Rohit wants to encourage people to learn to live in harmony with the nature. “I am a firm believer that trees are our ancestors and we cannot survive without them. Just like a human body or any other living being requires regular nourishment and care, trees too require care and protection,” he said adding that he aspired to expand the idea of tree hospital to other cities, including Ludhiana, where he was posted at that time.