Admn’s mantra, plant and forget saplings

Neha Saini

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 5

Last year, the holy city witnessed a spate of cutting trees. Hundreds of trees were cut in the name of development. Even some trees with 200 years of heritage behind them were not spared.

The result was soon out as Amritsar found its name in the list of world’s most polluted cities as its air and water pollution levels were quite alarming. With an already embarrassing green cover of 3.5 per cent according to horticulture experts before the cutting spree the percentage further declined to somewhere around 1.25.

Taking note of the situation and the criticism that came along, the administration decided to recover the lost green cover by involving NGOs through massive plantation drives. In the last six months of 2015, over 5,000 saplings were planted by NGO’s alone. Another 5,000 were distributed among residents to carry out plantation drives at several areas.

Most trees planted during massive drives by the administration have been destroyed, thanks to dug up roads and the practice of burning garbage on roadsides. “The situation is pretty much the same still, with almost zero concern shown towards planted saplings and their survival,” says Seenu Arora, president, Voice of Amritsar (VOA).

He said, “The VOA has planted 2,000 saplings in a span of three months and distributed another 2,000 to institutions and individuals. Out of these, 80 per cent saplings planted on individual-owned premises have survived, including those at Guru Nanak Medical College and Hospital, Khalsa College of Engineering and other residential colonies. But only two out of the 10 saplings planted on roadsides and at open spaces are still standing.”

The same goes with other NGO Mission Aghaaz, which was roped in to carry out plantations at Company Bagh and other prominent sites in the city. Regular burning of garbage, damage by stray animals and uprooting of saplings due to ongoing road repair work are responsible for their low survival rate.

“A few months ago eucalyptus and other saplings were planted on the entire lane outside Trillium Mall. Today, all plants have dried up due to lack of watering and maintenance. Only planting trees is not significant unless we ensure their survival and growth,” says Manu Bhargava, a resident of Ranjit Avenue.

With the district administration setting up a target of planting 20,000 trees along the BRTS lane, only time will tell if this figure remains on paper or becomes a reality worth mentioning.