Trees die mysteriously; authority says no need to worry

n Dadar,A Marathe Road,close to Ravindra Natya Mandir: A similar case,where an old and healthy rain tree sheds leaves en masse,overnight. “This tree was here ever since we’ve been living here. Recently,we noticed that it had gone bald one day; that too not in the season for trees to shed leaves. Besides,rain trees never go bald,” said Nitin Jamdar,a resident of a nearby building.

On interacting with local shop owners and wadi dwellers,Jamdar was told that some people had poisoned the tree one night. “The tree had fresh soil at the base; I feel the soil was mixed with some toxins and added to the base.” Jamdar now fears that the other trees in the vicinity will also face a similar fate. “There are priceless trees nearby and we don’t want them too to die.”

Again,residents suspect the hand of a building project in the vicinity.

In a strange coincidence,many healthy trees across the city are mysteriously dying or drying up in a season when they should,instead,flourish. And most often,building projects or constructions are underway in the vicinity.

In April,Dr Ashok Kothari,a senior member of the Bombay Natural History Society,had cried foul about three trees drying inexplicably right opposite the Santacruz police station. He suspected that toxic chemicals were poured at the base of the trees to systematically kill them,“to open view for a large hoarding”.

Horticulturists say pouring acid at the base and injecting toxins into the bark are the two usual ways of killing trees immediately. Once the tree dries up,it’s removed as dead,infected of dried-up tree.

However,deputy superintendent of gardens KY Rao,who visited the ITC Grand Central spot to inspect the drying trees upon Newsline’s insistence,said,“We found that the four trees had some fungal infection,which can spread to other trees. The decay has set in on the lower portions,affecting about 90 per cent of the four trees. They need to be removed immediately to save the others.”

Another Tree Authority official,on condition of anonymity,said,“The city has so many projects on; it is impossible to save all the trees. How can you blame a builder for cutting a few trees? After all,his project is worth hundreds of crores and he can’t help it if a few trees come in its way.”

The official also brushed aside the mysterious dying of trees,saying,“Trees may look sick,but often recuperate on their own. If you visit the same area in a few months,they will be flourishing again.”