RMC146;s re-plantation project succeeds; trees have sprouts

The experiment by the Rajkot Municipal Corporation to re-plant more than 350 trees...

The experiment by the Rajkot Municipal Corporation to re-plant more than 350 trees, which will be shifted from the 150 feet Ring Road, to construct the city8217;s first flyover, has received tremendous success. More than 24 trees, which were re-planted by the Corporation8217;s Garden Department at the D H College campus, have developed new sprouts. The trees were planted on the Ring Road some 10 years ago and the RMC decided to transplant them rather than chop them.

The Corporation received several offers and finally awarded the contract to a local contractor for transplanting trees at a cost of Rs 1,500 apiece under its own supervision and technical guidance.

RMC Garden Superintendent Dr K D Hapaliya said: 8220;This was my first experience to transplant more than 350 trees from one location to another. For experiment, we uprooted around 24 trees and replanted them at the D H College campus and surprisingly, we received very good results. As per my knowledge, this project must be the first in the state in which a government body is transplanting trees in such huge numbers. We are taking personal interest in the supervision of each tree here.8221;

He said the entire staff of the Garden Department is busy in this activity. 8220;Till now we have shifted more than 175 trees to a new location. Fortunately, the D H College ground has black cotton soil, which is very good for re-planting trees,8221; he said, adding that every tree requires more than 500 litres of water initially.

He added that in order to save the uprooted trees from fungus and other infections, they are spraying a mixture of blue copper to act as a fungicide and growth hormones to the roots, so that the trees are protected from infection, and grows faster at the replanted place.

After this successful experiment, many local residents as well as other municipal corporation have also started approaching the RMC Garden Department to take guidance for their re-plantation projects.

8220;Our aim is to educate the people with this new technique and it has been very successful as many local residents who want to expand their property, but are facing problems because of trees, have started calling us for help,8221; he said.

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He said their project will take many weeks to complete because each tree requires personal care during uprooting and re-plantation.