Task force to be formed to monitor health of trees: NDMC vice chairman

We will be able to understand trees health in a better way and also know more about heritage trees in the region, Upadhyay said.According to a survey conducted by the NDMC last year, Lutyens Delhi area has lost as many as 1,813 trees since 2015.It said out of 1,813 trees, 559 were uprooted trees, 783 were dead and dry trees while 424 were felled for construction activities between 2015-16 and 2021-22.

The New Delhi Municipal Corporation will form a task force to monitor health of trees in Lutyens' Delhi and also ensure that roads are timely cleared whenever they get uprooted following a storm or rain, its vice chairman Satish Upadhyay said on Thursday.

The civic body, which is conducting a tree census in its jurisdiction, will also geo-tag 1.08 lakh trees in Lutyens' Delhi and a proposal in this connection has also been passed in the NDMC's Council meeting on Wednesday, he said.

Upadhyay said the decision to form a task force was taken after the storm in May in which a number of trees were uprooted in the NDMC area, and it had taken considerable time to clear the debris from roads due to multiplicity of departments.

He said due to the multiplicity of department, the work gets delayed.

A storm in May had had uprooted hundreds of trees and also led to felling of thousands of branches in the New Delhi area.

''The task force will have members from concerned departments such as horticulture, engineering, sanitation among others. It will ensure that in case trees are uprooted, their debris should be cleared on priority. ''The task force will regularly inspect trees in NDMC area and check their health, soil and also the pruning status,'' he said.

The NDMC has now decided that it will also geo-tag all trees in its area for better monitoring and upkeep of trees.

NDMC officials said there are around 1.08 lakh trees in NDMC area and the geo-tagging will not only help the stakeholders to keep a track of the trees but also take corrective steps.

''Through geo-tagging, we will be able to effectively monitor our trees regularly as each tree will have a its identification number. We will be able to understand trees health in a better way and also know more about heritage trees in the region,'' Upadhyay said.

According to a survey conducted by the NDMC last year, Lutyens' Delhi area has lost as many as 1,813 trees since 2015.

It said out of 1,813 trees, 559 were uprooted trees, 783 were dead and dry trees while 424 were felled for construction activities between 2015-16 and 2021-22.