Tree census to be published online
For the first time in its history, the BMC is planning to publish online the report and maps of its ongoing tree census, which would help Mumbaikars spot the exact Global Positioning System (GPS) locations and access the data of trees in their area. Besides, the GPS census will map the thousands of trees inside Aarey colony for the first time, which might give additional fuel to the fight of activists against deforestation there.
As part of its ongoing tree census, which has already mapped 1.3 million trees in Mumbai so far, a proposal was tabled in front of the civic standing committee on March 4 to include the trees inside the Aarey colony premises.
These trees, along with those inside Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) and Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), were not included in the 2007 tree census since they do not stand on BMC land. That census had left out a large part of Mumbai’s green lungs, which remained undocumented.
The proposal now envisages bringing these trees under the ambit of the tree census, which will not only help locate these trees, but will also give information on the type, height, diameter, age, species and rarity of the tree.
“I’m sure Aarey must have a lot of rare trees, which will be mapped using GPS for the first time. But there is no proposal to do a similar thing in SGNP yet,” informed Vijay Hire, a gardens superintendent and tree officer for the BMC.
Former Mayor Sunil Prabhu had suggested in February 2014 that if the state dairy development department is incapable of conducting a tree census within Aarey, the civic body would be willing to do it. He got the state government’s nod in June 2014, after which the trees concerned were to be mapped using GPS and Geographical Information System (GIS) technologies in the ongoing tree census.
Now, the civic administration has suggested giving the Aarey contract to the same consultant, Saar IT Services Pvt Ltd, at the same rate, viz. Rs 9.9 per tree.
The Aarey project will take about eight months to complete and will map about five lakh trees using GPS and GIS. Thus, the Aarey project will cost the BMC Rs 49.5 lakh in addition to the Rs 2.07 crore already sanctioned for the census.
“The census will be over by the end of this year, after which the GIS maps as well as the final report will be made available online for citizens,” informed additional municipal commissioner SVR Srinivas.
The proposal was not discussed in the March 4 committee meeting since corporators had demanded more time to study it.
Committee chairman Phanse is sure that it will be discussed this time. Only if it is passed there, will it go to the general assembly and the municipal commissioner for approval.