Unique ID and barcode for 40,000 trees in Mumbai this Ramzan

Mumbai has seen a steady rise in urbanisation and development which has led to a massive loss of its green cover. Today, apart from being a cosmopolitan's dream destination, the city has welcomed 40,000 new trees.

Thanks to the Dawoodi Bohra community, Mumbai will now have more trees to save its civilisation. The initiative, which is expected to end this Ramzan, has already seen the planting of over 50 trees at Horniman Circle and near community mosques and housing colonies in Mazgaon, Muhammad Ali Road, Malabar Hill, and Andheri, according to a Hindustan Times report. The programme will be extended to other locations such as Santacruz, Kandivli, Thane, and Mumbra. Taikhoom Bhaisaheb Mohiyuddin, the trustee of Burhani Foundation India, said,

The community is encouraging its members to participate by planting trees (one to two years old). The holy month of Ramzan is known for devotion, prayers and expressing gratitude toward Allah. Such initiatives underline the significance of becoming an agent in preserving and nurturing nature

Every tree will have its unique number to identify its location. Spiritual leader Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, who is guiding the initiative, said,

Information such as date of plantation, species, length and location, will be documented on a web portal so that we can track the entire plantation drive. We will track health of trees in the future and take care of those which need attention. We are encouraging community members to get these trees from local nurseries and people have started planting trees without our help. We are getting the trees from Pune and Gujarat. We’ll be planting about 500 trees at Rani Baug, Byculla, upon receiving permission from the civic body’s tree department.

Trees will also be planted at Pune, Nashik, Lonavla, Kohlapur, Palghar, and Dahanu. He further added that the initiative is in support of PM Modi's vision of a cleaner and a greener India. Avick Sil, regional director of Environmental Policy Research Institute, said,

In comparison to loss of trees, we found that only five percent of transplanted trees were surviving in the city. As per the law states, three trees are supposed to be planted against every tree felled.

According to a report by TOI, the number of trees cut down in the year 2016-17 accounts to a whopping 9,100 in Gurugram and 15,000 in Delhi. With communities and initiatives like these, the green cover and its extension have some ray of hope.

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