New Delhi, Mar 19 (PTI) The Delhi government plans to assess the “success and survival rate” of all transplanted trees in the national capital and has roped in the Dehradun-based Forest Research Institute for this purpose, officials said.
According to forest department data, 12,852 trees had been transplanted at 23 sites in the city till the end of last year. To assess the “success and survival” rate of the transplanted trees, an FRI team will look at the site selection criteria for transplantation, size of pits and their spacing; method and time of transplantation, health and growth of the transplanted trees and maintenance schedule, an official of the department said.
FRI scientists will also take stock of irrigation frequency, soil-moisture conservation, check dams, contour trenches, fencing measures, silviculture practices and protection strategies against biotic and abiotic interferences etc, according to a proposal received from the institute.
The study will be conducted over a period of six months after the approval from the minister concerned, the official said.
FRI Director A S Rawat will head the team which will have around seven members with expertise in silviculture, nursery and forest management.
In December 2020, the Delhi government had notified the Tree Transplantation Policy under which agencies concerned are required to transplant a minimum of 80 per cent of the trees affected by their development works.
According to the policy, the benchmark tree survival rate at the end of one year of tree transplantation is 80 per cent. Last year, the FRI had conducted an audit of annual sapling plantations undertaken in Delhi from 2016 to 2019.
According to the audit report released earlier this month, 72 per cent to 81 per cent of the saplings planted in Delhi between 2016 and 2019 have survived.
The survival rate stood at 80.21 per cent in the North division. In the West division, 78.5 per cent of the saplings survived in the Alipur range and 75.68 per cent in the Najafgarh range.
In the South division, the survival rate was 72 per cent in Mehrauli, 76 per cent in Asola Bhatti Phase I and 81.33 per cent in Phase 2. PTI GVS ANB ANB
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