Saving Vizag's trees!

Saving Vizag's Trees


Before you start reading the rest of this post please note down this number:

18004255364

This is the AP Forest Department's 24 hour Toll Free number
They accept complaints regarding Tree Cutting, deforestation, wild animal trapping or mistreatment and any illegal forest and wildlife issues. If you see a tree being cut, call this number and complain! They will get in touch with the local District Forest Officer and pursue the matter.

If you have any suggestions - please leave a comment on my blog (preferred), or email me at sohan.hatangadi@gmail.com
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Banyan tree chopped down during the BRTS road project
between NAD Kotha Rd. Jn. and Pendurthi

Worst time in history for Vizag's trees

Several newspaper reports have indicated that GVMC is inclined to cut down large trees that are unfortunate enough to be in the way of our ever widening roads. Between 2009 and 2012 more than 2,000 trees were cut down during the road widening from NAD Kotha Road to Pendurthi. Some of these trees were irreplaceable 150 to 200 year old banyan trees.

All over the city trees are being ruthlessly cut. With every tree gone we make our city more ugly and remove an ecosystem on which small animals, birds and humans depend on. With every tree gone we increase dust pollution, warm our city, reduce our rainfall and destroy our natural heritage. 

Typical newspaper report

For anyone who loves Vizag, seeing our trees disappear by the hundreds is a truly painful experience. Future generations will look back and say that under the current city administration and it's careless citizens the maximum numbers of trees were cut.

While we hear of many new trees being planted, the benefits of the planting is still 50 to 100 years away. The mortality rate of new trees is very high and only a small percentage will survive to adulthood. Moreover there are hardly any new Banyan trees being planted. These trees named after the Banya (merchant) community that sat in its shade to do their business. They have been a quintessential part of our Indian landscape and heritage for thousands of years. They were planted by jamindars and kings with long term vision. We will lose a big part of our history if we lose these large magnificent trees.

Tree near railway station alongside MES wall chopped down

This is the hot spot. Where the axe  is mightier than the brain!

Time to save our trees ... act now

More recently we have lost around 20 old trees during road widening near the railway station. Several of these trees can be saved with better road engineering and sensitivity. Thanks to Vizag's tree lovers and the media that brought the plight of the old tree to our attention, some trees were saved. However there are many old trees that need saving right now. Let us start with 6 trees that survive on the Railway Station Road, where we turn towards Thatichetlapalem.

The six trees that need urgent attention!

Start with saving these 6 trees near the station

There are 6 trees between the end of the fly-over and the railway station. These trees are on the side of the existing road now but is expected to come partly into the road when it is widened. GVMC engineers are of the opinion that these trees must be cut down. Cutting trees should never be an option. If trees are partly obstructing the road they can be incorporated into a median. Tree lovers feel that at least five of the six trees can indeed be saved by using some imaginative road design. One of the trees can be relocated by a two meters to bring it into the median.

Possible solution

Goa example

In many cities including Pune, Bengaluru, Chennai and Panjim in Goa, trees that come partly into the road during widening are used as a median or a place to put up a bus stop. 

I am sure GVMC has the competency and sensitivity to do this mini project and save our trees. Future generations will bless them for their efforts.The attached photographs explain the issues related to these 5 trees. Also attached is a graphic image suggesting that the line of 6 trees be treated as a median.  

Goa example

How we can save the 6 trees

The median solution

The median solution

The median solution

Note: Thanks to Ramesh Pagadala for the graphics

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