Tree Transplantation Clause in NH Contracts in the Works

Having all these superfast 4-6 lane expressways is fine but I lament the lack of large, old shady trees that used to line our highways : I recall the Grand Trunk Road in the northern part of the country, where weary foot travelers could stop, take their meager repast and a short snooze. Now one zooms past at great speed and we mostly see shrubs and a single belt of quick growing trees to show ‘greening’ is done. I suppose the new tree transplantation clause is again a hogwash. Do the Canadians know how our system works? Most of us are happy with pretty yellow flowers….like Mexican Oleander!!


Aug 07 2015 : The Economic Times (Mumbai)

Tree Transplantation Clause in NH Contracts in the Works

Rajat Arora

New Delhi:

Move to ensure speedy green nod for projects

In a bid to secure speedy green clearances for highways, the government plans to introduce a `tree transplantation’ clause in highway contracts that will require project developers to salvage as many trees as possible.

 The move comes at a time when road projects worth over ` . 30,000 crore are stuck due to environment issues. “The move will ensure faster environmental clearances and will speed up construction of roads,“ Union minister for roads, transport and highways Nitin Gadkari told ET.

 For transplanting and monitoring of the green corridor project, the government will set up a dedicated green agency with its headquarters at the Transport Bhawan in Delhi. The technology will be imported from Canada.

 A separate budget will also be earmarked for transplanting. “The estimates of any widening scheme on national highways will include the provision for transplantation of trees,“ Gadkari said.

 “The maintenance of such transplanted trees will also be included in the contract documents of all BOT (build-operate-transfer) and EPC (engineering-procurement-construction) projects. A total of 1% of the cost of construction would be kept aside only for the green initiatives.“ he added.

 The cost of plantation and maintenance will be borne by the concessionaire in case of BOT projects and by the NHAI or the ministry for public-funded projects.

 As per the policy, the location for transplantation will have to be identified and preliminary treatment done at least three months before the area is ready for transplantation. transplantation.“A beautiful tree in the wrong place on roads need to be salvaged rather than destroyed.Therefore, transplanting trees during the construction of road projects should be preferred,“ Gadkari said.

 The policy, which also aims to provide employment to the local people, will be implemented in participation with the local community, NGOs, private sector and the forest department. Under the policy, the road ministry will `tree-line’ 140,000 km of national highways.


ET VIEW – No Ticket to Clearance

The proposal to plant trees to create a green corridor along highways will improve their green quotient .The replanting needs to be undertaken in a planned manner, with due consideration to road safety, and the species of trees best suited to the area. However, to reduce prerequisites for green clearance to this one issue is a mistake. The environment ministry has prepared a list of 52 items on which the building agency or company must provide information to ensure proper assessment of a project. To speed up clearances, the developer must provide required information on time.


I am familiar with this term, `tree transplantation’.

May I know what is the success rate?

But for the project to TRANSPLANT TREES

ONE HAS TO FIND MATURE TREES SOMEWHERE

where they will be dig up with a large enough root ball around it and tranported to the site of new placement

and again with appropriate diggers machines will be positioned in the new large enough a hole in the soil and prepared base with appropriate fertilizers etc and set up the fully mature tree and then prop it up for several years and water and feed it, judiciously prune it etc…

BUT WHERE WILL THIS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT UPROOT THE MATURE TREES FROM?
WHY CUT DOWN THE ALREADY 60, 70 or 100 year old trees and then try to uproot some more  from someplace, from someone’s property etc…
its madness and hoodwinking the public!!!
Has the govt set up rules about where to get the mature trees from?
we dont have any nursery in india that has 60, 70 80 or  100 year old trees that can be dug up from their grounds to be transplanted, if there are I would like to know!!!  At least I have not seen them on the internet….   if there are they are obscure … and a well guarded secret..
==

success rate depends on who is telling you about them…
govt or concerned citizen watch groups?

Exactly …, I saw this   complex  transplant  happening in Maharashtra. The tree died. I have doubt about the credibility of this project particularly in a country like ours. Can we afford this very expensive procedure?

Especially when our healthcare budget has been cut by 20% and so on.  The present practice of planting useful saplings along the highways is more plausible and cost effective and ultimately it will give us fruit and shade. For example, they plant tamarid trees and the like along highways in Tamil Nadu.  I can foresee lot of debate if this tree transplant project is implemented.

Remember, there was much hype about biodiesel project in the last decade utilizing Jatropha!. I attended a National Conference on Biodiesel in 2004 in Delhi organized by the Planning Commission.  We started dreaming that henceforth we can go to a village farmer for diesel instead of a Petrol Pump.  Then what happened?  Many many research projects were sanctioned by DST. DBT and the lilke and finally biodiesel project from Jatropha got rejected/dumped as the price of a litre was just double than that of what was available in Petrol pump.

We need vision and proper planning and expert opinion before implementing such mega projects.

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