Worli palm trees: 1 dead, others ill

Following MiD DAY's report on the ailing trees, civic officials inspect them only to find they are waning, ask for proper care and maintenance

Worli palm trees: 1 dead, others ill

Following MiD DAY's report on the ailing trees, civic officials inspect them only to find they are waning, ask for proper care and maintenance

After MiD DAY reported about the dismal health of the palm trees on Worli Sea Face last Sunday, the BMC undertook an inspection of the trees and found one to be dead and others well on their way there. Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Gardens) Suhas Karvande said, "I had sent a team to inspect it and we found one tree dead while the others didn't seem to be very healthy. We have informed the MSRDC (responsible for transplanting trees) to plant more trees in place of the dead and maintain them."

Wrong move? MiD DAY had reported about the dried up state of Palm
trees planted at Worli Sea face on May 1. Pic/Shadab Khan

On May 1, we had reported about the ill state of trees planted along the Sea Face promenade after Vilas Chavri, BMC's gardens and markets committee chairperson wrote a letter to Karvande, asking him to inspect them. "The trees didn't look okay from the promenade. The MSRDC had promised to use new techniques but they seem not to have worked well," said Chavri. He further said that the Tree Authority also needs to check the transplanted trees regularly.

Expertspeak
Several environmentalists believe that transplanting trees is not a good idea since their survival rate in the city has not been particularly encouraging. Isaac Kehimkar of Bombay Natural History Society said, "The conditions of trees depend on when they are transplanted. The monsoon is the best time. Mostly palm or coconut trees do not survive transplantation. Also, a lot of care should be taken while transplanting. They need to be constantly monitored as well."

Dr Nilesh Baxi, earlier a member of Tree Authority, said, "The trees were planted as part of the beautification drive before the US President's visit. The authoritiesu00a0 may not have tended them after that." He added, "The former deputy municipal commissioner of gardens, C Rokade, was passionate about the tall trees. After his transfer, the question is whether he trained his staff."

The Other Side
S M Sabnis, chief engineer, MSRDC, said, "Officials responsible for transplanting informed us that the trees are doing well. When I visited the location myself, the trees were intact. Still, we would try to inspect them ourselves and give them proper treatment."