The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to take action on the issue of dying rain trees in Mumbai. Taking note of the suggestions made by Accenture software engineer Kshitij Ashtekar’s findings on how about half of the rain trees in the western suburbs were either dying or were dead already for lack of water and other reasons, the authorities have decided to dig water pits around the trees alongside the roads.

Additional Municipal Commissioner S S Shinde said that the pits dug around trees would be watered regularly. Pesticides would also be sprayed to tackle fungal and bacterial attacks. Illustrations/Amit Bandre