Old tree guards hampering growth of trees in Prayagraj; survey ordered
PRAYAGRAJ: Though the district administration and the forest department gear up to plant lakhs of tree saplings from July for enhancing the green cover of Prayagraj, many full-grown trees planted along Lala Lajapat Rai road, Nyay Marg, MG Road and in other areas need immediate intervention as the iron grilles of tree guards, which were not removed, are damaging and hampering growth of these trees.
Nature lovers say such negligence is causing damage to the trees and reveals apathy of the agencies in properly maintaining and protecting these trees. “I have removed hundreds of tree guards myself and installed the same around new samplings at different roads near Allahabad University (AU) campus. There is an urgent need to remove all the tree guards around healthy full-grown trees as trunks of many have already become deformed because of them,” said Prof NB Singh of the department of Botany, AU.
The seriousness of the problem can be gauged on roads like Lala Lajapat Rai road, Nyay Marg and MG Road which passes across the posh Civil Lines to High court gate number 2, Tashkand road where matured trees are being suffocated by these iron tree guards.
Meanwhile, taking a serious note of the problem, divisional commissioner, Sanjay Kumar Goyal has now decided that a mega survey would be conducted in the city to identify all such trees which still have tree guards around them. “We will identify all such trees and initiate action to remove them, and also reuse the ones which are in a good condition. Moreover, the administration will do everything possible to save these trees in future too,” said Goyal.
TAKING SERIOUS NOTE OF THE PROBLEM, COMMISSIONER, SK GOYAL HAS DECIDED TO CONDUCT A SURVEY TO IDENTIFY ALL SUCH TREES