Daily Times

KARACHI: The provincial capital is going to experience massive relocation of as many as 1,000 indigenous trees in the coming days. These trees would be relocated in peripheral parts of Quaid-e-Azam mausoleum, Daily Times has learnt.
This practice is being taken in line with Karachi’s Green Line Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS), as these trees are coming in the way of the project route, said Karachi Infrastructure Development Company Limited (KIDCL) officials, responsible for planning and implementation of the project.

The move was decided in a meeting between KIDCL and Quaid-e-Azam Mausoleum Management Board (QMMB) on Wednesday. An accord is expected to be inked by the end of this week in this regard.
QMMB Resident Engineer Muhammad Arif said, “We could relocate around 900 to 1,000 trees. It was in principle agreed to relocate the trees in south and southeast parts of the Quaid-e-Azam Mausoleum.”

Arif said, “It was agreed that QMMB would provide space while placement and look after of trees would be the responsibility of KIDCL for next one year.” KIDCL after a thorough physical survey of counting the trees found that 7,321 are grown up roadside that are coming in the way of the said bus project.

Out of total trees, 6,321 are Conocarpus and Eucalyptus species while remaining 1,000 are indigenous, said Komal Parvez, architect and consultant for KIDCL.

Komal said, “Since there is a chance of high mortality in case of transplantation and it is believed that only 40 percent could survive, therefore, one year special maintenance and care is needed.” She said that trees need natural environment and protected place and it is possible. She further said that the date regarding relocation has not been finalised yet as we are looking for contractors for doing the exercise. We would go for trial demonstration before going into actual work, she added.
However, experts showed concern over the relocation of roadside trees with possible sense of ‘inability, inexperienced and untrained hands’ that could likely to damage a number of trees.
While talking to Daily Times, renowned dendrochronologist Prof Dr Moinuddin Ahmed said, “It requires technology, trained staff and vision. I think we don’t have any. I do not think we have such kind of facilities. Trees are sensitive and they could faint.”

He questioned that whether there are proper facilities to transplant such species. He said, “For a successful transplant, there is very much carefulness required. You must consider the plant root system and it is reasonably possible if there is expertise.”
He said the optimal time for lifting a tree is spring or during monsoon with plenty of availability of water adding that you cannot predict rain in monsoon in Karachi. However, negating the professor’s view, Komal hoped that the team involved in the matter would try its best to accommodate the trees in best possible way.
She said, “This is experiment. It’s not something, which we cannot do and we cannot wait till monsoon season as we have to start the exercise soon.”

She said planting of Conocarpus and Eucalyptus species was already banned due to their adverse effect on the environment. Compensatory planting in three-fold of numbering to 19,500 will be planted with environment-friendly behaviour.
Komal said that the new trees would include Delonix Regia, Cassia Fistula, Azadirachta Indica, Lignum, Samea Saman and
Alstonia Scholaris.