MMRDA WANTS TMC’S MACHINE TO TRANSPLANT TREES IN THANE

THANE: TheMumbaiMetropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has requested the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) to provide its tree transplanter machine that will aid in restoring green cover.

“MMRDA has come up with a plan to hire tree transplantation machinefromtheTMC.Theproposalisbeingpreparedanditwill beputitforthinthegeneralbody meeting which will be held on December19,”saidSanjeevJaiswal, commissioner, TMC.

TMC had purchased the machine six months ago for ₹4 crore.

Withthehelpofthetransplantation machine, the civic body hasreplantedmorethan50trees that were an obstruction for several road-widening projects.

The civic body hopes to earn revenue by renting out the machine. A proposal has been prepared that states that the machine will be rented out for eight hours a day.

“The rates will be charged basedontheusageandfuelcharges. It will be rented out for eight hours daily and the cost for the same will be ₹35,680 per day. The machinetakesanhourtoreplant atree,basedonwhicheighttrees can be replanted in a day. Through this, the civic body can generate revenue,” said Sandip Malvi, public relations officer, TMC.Theproposalspecifyingall this will be put forth at the general body meeting for approval.

Meanwhile, environmentalistsandactivistsfromThaneare not keen on the decision of the MMRDA to replant the trees as they feel that the green cover in the city will still reduce.

“Althoughthisisapositiveinitiative by the MMRDA and the civicbody,theproposalshouldbe approved only if an alternative spaceorlocationforthetreesare finalised. Also, it should not be veryfarfromthecurrentlocation of the tree, otherwise, it will not serve the purpose,” said Shashank Tomar, 42, a resident of Upvan.