An increasing number of people are creating awareness about planting trees in the city

ARE YOU A GREEN CRUSADER YET?

An increasing number of people are creating awareness about planting trees in the city

    In the fast-developing urban jungle that Mumbai is today, a handful of people with a green thumb are taking up the initiative to grow more trees and make it greener. Advertising professional Hari Chakyar, who likes nothing better than to take up a pickaxe, plant saplings and educate
    p e o p l e towards the need for verdancy, is one such person. His mission is to plant trees in all 35 Indian states and Union territories and he’s named his project like that too! He talks of the
    serious
need to have more greenery in our cities, especially Mumbai. ...
EFFORTS THAT MUST GO A LONG WAY It’s becoming the need of the hour says the 26-yearold. “Of course, we need to wake up now,” he starts. “In a city like Mumbai, where the population hikes by thousands every year, there is a serious dearth of space. Trees are being felled rampantly to build housing facilities. In such a situation, it is crucial to maintain the green open spaces as well as foliage.”
His project to grow trees began as a whim. “I wanted to spread the message of the need to plant trees and conserve the existing forests. To create awareness of that level across the country, I would have to do something a little crazy. Hence came the idea of planting trees in every state and Union Territory of India.”
    Today, he and others plant trees in schools and colleges. “But just planting trees isn’t enough. The trees have to be entrusted to someone as well,” he explains. Agrees Paresh Pimpale of an eco-group in Mumbai. “One has to also ensure that the tree survives; water and physical protection for it are also crucial.”
    The response to their green movement has been positive. “I get calls and emails every day from people offering to host us in their state; it’s very heartening,” informs Chakyar.
CITIZENS CAN DO MORE Pimpale adds how his nature trail sensitises students towards the environment. “Planting trees such as mango, jackfruit and local fruit-bearing varieties can be an ongoing activity. People can join awareness groups and support the cause. I think if each society says they will just plant one single sapling and take care of it in their building compound, it will make a vast difference,” he adds.
Chakyar stresses on awareness. “Little things like turning off electrical appliances when not required, matter. Did you know that souvenirs in coastal tourist areas such as Kanyakumari and Orissa are causing immense harm to the coral reefs there? If people stop buying these souvenirs, the lack of demand might stop the supply and destruction of these natural barriers against tsunamis. My project focuses on things like this.”
    Ekta Pange, of an eco group teaches people to plant vegetable patches, in bid to steer them towards greenery. She says,“I have planted chillies, tomatoes, and brinjals too. Coriander and methi are easy and basic. In fact, any vegetable that does not need to be pollinated in order to produce will work. The general rule while planting is, most people don’t know when to water the plant. Remember, if the top inch of the soil is dry, it is probably time to water again; most times people flood the plant. A tip is, waste food — like coriander stems (without oil) — can be put into a container with some soil. They will turn out to be good manure for your plant,” she informs.
    ismat.tahseen@timesgroup.com 

It’s time to develop a green thumb today