New Delhi, Apr 20 (PTI) The Forest Research Institute in Dehradun, which was tasked to study the reasons for the low survival rate of transplanted trees in Delhi, will submit its interim report in six months, with the final report due in 12 months.
The study will span a total period of one year from the release of the first instalment of the sanctioned budget, a source in the department said, adding that Rs 30 lakh has been allocated for the exercise.
“The interim report will focus on a review of existing literature and documented data on tree transplantation, while the final report will present detailed findings based on field assessments and scientific analysis,” the source added.
PTI had earlier reported that the institute was tasked with identifying the reasons behind the poor survival of transplanted trees, with the findings expected to help make changes to the Delhi Tree Transplantation Policy, 2020.
The move comes amid concerns over low survival rates. A previous report by FRI estimated an overall survival rate of 35.45 per cent, with variation across species.
The forest department data also showed that of 1,357 trees transplanted between 2019 and 2022, only 578 survived, translating to a survival rate of 42.5 per cent.
Delhi Environment and Forest Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa earlier told PTI that the study is aimed at making the transplantation process more effective.
“We are conducting this study to understand why transplantation has faced persistent challenges over the years. The findings will help us adopt a more scientific approach based on field evidence and expert inputs, and make the city greener,” he said.
In a recent meeting, the forest department noted that species such as ‘papdi’, ‘sheesham’, ‘lasoda’, ‘desi kikar’, ‘khejri’, ‘ronjh’, ‘bakain’ and ‘ashoka’ with girth above 200 cm tend to have poor survival rates and may be avoided.
It also stressed that post-transplantation maintenance is a key factor and suggested that agencies be made responsible for upkeep for at least two to three years to improve survival outcomes.
The meeting further recommended reviewing the requirement of transplanting 80 per cent of affected trees, noting that the target may not be feasible in all cases due to on-ground constraints.
Under the Tree Transplantation Policy, 2020, transplantation is mandatory in development projects where tree felling cannot be avoided. The process involves site surveys, preparation of a Tree Preservation Plan, pruning, root ball preparation, relocation and replanting. PTI SGV SGV APL APL
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