The brief spell of showers and thunderstorms may have subsided the blistering heat of Delhi. However, the falling of trees in certain parts of the city due to its inability to withstand the wind pressure once again highlighted the poor condition and the weak root structure of trees in the Capital.
According to experts, poor techniques adopted in growing of the new saplings, exploitation of the trees, poor groundwater recharging facilities, and also growing of trees that do not acclimatise well to the local conditions contribute towards weak root structure of the trees in the city, leading to its subsequent death.
Explaining the situation, Professor Rommel Mehta, Head of Department of Landscape and Architecture, says that the weakness of the trees can also be seen from the fact that today most of the trees in the city are not attaining its standard height.
Further highlighting the negative effects of unplanned urbanisation causing low ground water reserves , he adds: “Today the soft surfaces in the city is gradually decreasing and the water that is expected to seep inside the ground is flowing off, this affects the roots of the trees.”
Another major factor for the weakness of the root structure is the improper technique used for the growth of saplings. “Proper standards and measurements for digging of pits have not been adopted,” he says.
More scathing in his remarks, Dr Surinder Suneja highlights of the lack of responsibility and empathy for trees by the citizens. He says, “Today most of the trees in the city are exploited, the drilled nails on the trees is one of the main examples of it. This causes the oozing out of the sap, infection and death of the trees.” An average lifespan of the tree should be about 50-100 years, however today trees in the city barely survive for even 15 years.
Indian filmmaker, environmentalist and author of the book, ‘Trees of Delhi’, Pradip Krishen, talks about the growing of the trees in the recent past have not focused on the ecological aspects resulting in it becoming weak and brittle.
Krishen says, “Rather than focusing on the ornamental aspects of the tree, emphasis should be paid on the survival of the tree.”