Dwarka: Recently, a green circle team visited Sector 23 in Dwarka where the transplantation of trees from Dwarka Expressway is being done on a massive scale. Many of the trees are either dead or on the threshold of death.
In my opinion, tree transplantation is not a successful exercise in India. Moreover, I had googled a lot to find out the status of tree transplantation elsewhere in the world. While Hong Kong has a transplantation policy, not many countries have such measures. Wherever it's done, it may be for a single tree or so.
A majority of transplanted trees are facing a tough time. Just digging a pit and watering won't serve the purpose. I am of the firm opinion that survival of a transplanted tree depends on the following:
1. Texture of the soil in both the locations must match.
2. The micro nutrients and underground water sources in the new area must be rich and sufficient.
3. The new location must be free from other disturbances like termite attacks, concretisation etc.
4. It also depends on the type of species and age of the tree.
5. All the roots of the trees have surface hairs to enable infiltration of water and absorption of minerals and nutrients present in water by a kind of capillary attraction. But it takes time for the trees to adapt to the new situation.
6. Unless the transplanting agencies are technically capable, it will never be successful.
7. Till then it is something like pulling out a pole from one place and refixing at a different place. We need to be scientific in our approach if we seriously aim at sustainable development.
I feel the exercise is futile and just aims at transportation of trees and not transplantation.
I appeal to both central and state governments to review the policy and form an expert committee to see that there's proper prudency, accountability and systematic approach.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article above are his own and CitySpidey does not endorse them in anyway.
