Malaysiansultanstudiesred&whitetreetrunkcallcode

The red and white colour on tree trunks across Mumbai attracted the attention of Sallehuddin ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah, Sultan of Kedah, Malaysia on his visit to the maximum city recently. So much so that the Malaysian Royal asked officials of Malaysian consulate in Mumbai to find out the reason behind painting the tree trunks in red and white colours.Tree trunks in Mumbai are painted red and white using Sinopia (geru) and lime.

On the direction of Sultan Tuanku Sallehuddin of Malaysia's Kedah state, the Malaysian consulate general in Mumbai Zainal Azlan Mohd. Nadzir visited the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) garden department in Byculla on Friday. His visit was meant to study the painting of tree trunks in Mumbai in red and white colours using Sinopia (Geru) and lime.According to BMC officials, the Sultan of Kedah state in Malaysia, visited Mumbai and noticed the red and white colours on the tree trunks in Mumbai.

On his return, he asked officials to find out the reasons for the colours and check if they help protect the trees. Nadzir met Jitendra Pardeshi, the BMC’s superintendent of gardens, who explained him in detail on why the civic body paints tree trunks with a coating of Sinopia and lime. The BMC officials told them that the dual coating protects the trees from fungi, insects and termites that make the trees hollow.

“Sinopia has acidic properties. Lime has alkaline properties. Proper application of both sinopia and lime helps control the fungus in such trees. In areas where it rains more, trees are more likely to get mold. To prevent the fungus from spreading, Sinopia, which has acidic properties, is applied to lower part of the trunk,” the BMC officials told them.