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Public Lecture On “Delhi’s Dying Trees?”
By: Toxics Link, Source: Toxics Link, Date: , 2013
Delhi has transformed from being a green capital to being a
concrete jungle in less than a decade. In a short time, tens of thousands of
trees have been chopped down for roads, flyovers, the Metro, the Commonwealth
Games, and new constructions. Those remaining have been imprisoned in concrete
pavements, or their branches chopped off so brutally that they are now stark
looking and stump like. It is in this light that Toxics Link in collaboration with
the India International Centre organized a Public Lecture on “Delhi’s Dying Trees?” at India
International Centre on 15TH May 2013. The discussion was preceded
by a short film titled “Last Words of a Dying Tree” by Avinash Kumar
Singh & Geetha Singh. The panel included eminent speakers like Mr. A. K. Shukla
(IFS, Chief Conservator of Forest and Chief Wildlife Warden, Forest
Department); Pradip Krishen(Film Maker & Environmentalist); Padmavati
Dwivedi (Founder, Compassionate Living) while the discussion was moderated
by Mr. Ravi Agarwal (Director, Toxics Link). Ravi
Agarwal opened the discussion by expressing concern on how the
development projects are axing huge number of trees and there is not enough
space to replant them. There is rich forest but how well it is preserved is a
big question. The city today stands a witness to a conflict between what once
stood as a green city to what Delhi is becoming as a concrete city, he added.
He further said that there is a need to contemplate on the role the
institutions play in this. Discussing the changing scenario of Delhi the city is taking
leaping strides as far as development is concerned with monumental increase in
metros, fly-overs and multi-storied buildings Dr. A. K. Shukla pointed
that this required a plan which integrates both greenery and development. The increasing population demands development
& urbanization posing pressure on the green cover. Although the department is doing the required plantation it cannot ensure that they are
provided with land, he added. He further briefed on how the trees are being misused and
the reasons behind the dying trees, which includes Concretization and tiling
around trees to make pavements thus limiting surface soil for trees to grow
& weakening root system. Also,
trees are strangulated by Metal tree guards which in turn limits the growth
of the trees after a certain point, at times choking it. He further touched on the actions taken by the government he
said that guidelines have been laid and implemented by the Tree Authority) regarding
de-concretization, removal of tree guards and nailed advertisements. Pradip
Krishen explained that there are areas in the city where much
plantation cannot be done, while there are areas where a lot can be done for
instance the ridge. Yet the forest department is not taking any initiative to
improve the habitat in a place like Ridge forest. Briefing on the kinds of trees appropriate for the city, he
emphasized that native trees and native flora need to be planted. There is a
need to understand what is native and to look for seeds of those plants, grow
and then nurture them. He further noted that ‘plantation cannot be done on the dry
rocky land’, is a mistaken perception. Mangar
Bani, for instance, is one of the most beautiful forests which are actually
thriving on a Gair Mumkin land. Expressing her concern on the fact that the city does not
have any green plan for the next fifty years, Ms. Padmavati said that despite huge number of trees being axed
there are no efforts to reforest the area. Once a tree is gone nobody plans to
plant it anymore, she added. She further attributed the dwindling green cover
of the city to unplanned development and urbanization and pointed need for the
government to come up with a green vision. The lecture was followed by an interactive question answers
session where some raised some pertinent questions and concerns were raised.
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