Even though the Maharashtra government had taken an initiative to plant 2 crores plants across the state citizens and NGOs were more interested in garnering publicity by clicking selfies. Thus the tree plantation drive turned into a photo-op moment and its real purpose of increasing the green cover was not realised. In Mumbai NGO’s had undertaken the afforestation drive at Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Kamala Nehru Park and Aarey Colony but these areas already have a huge green cover. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had urged housing societies to plant five trees in the compound. The civic body will also provide free saplings to housing societies to undertake this drive. On the other hand, Mumbaikars are not sure how will the afforestation drive succeed in a city where there is dearth of open spaces. Most of the open spaces are being encroached by slum dwellers.
“People only talk about conserving the environment but they don’t take any initiative to plant trees. Even if citizens undertake afforestation drive who will take care of the saplings as many of them will dry due to lack of water. There is lack of monitoring mechanism to see how many trees have survived,” said Ramesh Singh a Dahisar resident.
“The tree plantation drive was undertaken at such places where there is huge green cover. Instead the officials could have planted saplings at such areas where lesser number of trees exist,” said Sameer Shah a business man from Kandivali.
“The BMC’s initiative to ask housing societies for planting trees in the compound won’t succeed as most of the area of my building is being concretised with very less space available for tree plantation,” said Satish Rohankar a Borivali resident.
“In our housing society more priority is being given to allot space for parking cars. In such a scenario, how will I plant trees in the compound of my building? Today people are more interested in building concrete structures everywhere instead of planting trees,” said Anish Sen a Kandivali resident.
The afforestation drive to increase the green cover by planting two crore saplings was inaugurated by Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao. The event in which schools, colleges, corporates, government departments and the defence establishments participated, marked the beginning of the state government’s ambitious project to plant 50 crore saplings in the next three years.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Union Minister for Environment Prakash Javadekar, Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray, and state Environment Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar were present on the occasion along with top government officials and 3,500 students at the five-hectare Mahim Nature Park.
The defence authorities also joined in the drive by planting around 8,000 saplings at various establishments in Colaba, Kalina and Kandivali with the participation of defence personnel and their families.
