At present, the work of digging 5,000 pits and setting proper soil for roots is going at a frantic pace, even as officials clarified that they have been extremely careful in choosing the right kind of trees.
Mumbai is all set to get a five hectare man-made wilderness along the banks of Mithi river. The mini-forest project is a part of the state government's ambitious plan to plant two crore trees across Maharashtra, starting July 1.
This new green patch for Mumbai will be located on a plot in Maharashtra Nature Park Society (MNPS) in Dharavi, which was stuck in a litigation for a long time. According to the forest department officials, high profile guests including the chief minister, the forest minister, several well-known celebrities and business tycoons will attend the July 1 event, which will see over 5,000 trees being planted in the plot.
"We were clear right from the inception that we do not want to create a garden but a forest, just like the earlier existing MNPS, so that people could enjoy not only wilderness but also biodiversity in the middle of the concrete jungle. This five hectare plot was part of MNPS and was a landfill site. We have been planning to begin plantation for a long time and we are glad that this plot is now a part of the state function," said Avinash Kubal, deputy director of MNPS.
At present, the work of digging 5,000 pits and setting proper soil for roots is going at a frantic pace, even as officials clarified that they have been extremely careful in choosing the right kind of trees.
"We had to ensure that we choose the species that are suitable for landfill sites as well as are a part of the Western Ghats flora. Apart from that, we also had to keep in mind that the 5,000 trees being planted should be of ecological importance and support biodiversity," said Kubal, adding that they will also plant some rare species, such as Rudraksha and Red Sanders, which are not usually seen in Mumbai but will especially help botany students.
As per the plan, around 50 species of seven to eight feet height will be planted. Given the fact that they are around four years old already, the chances of their survival are better. MNPS officials said that in around two years, these trees will be well grown and Mumbaikars can take a stroll in this man-made oasis.
In addition, there is a plan to set up a Ficus belt in the 30-metre strip along the Mithi river to create a roosting as well as feeding spots for several birds.
Meanwhile according to sources, the work of setting up pits for plantation wasn't easy as the landfill site was full of plastic and other waste. "Since we have been taking care of MNPS for such a long time, the knowledge of creating greenery in a landfill site came in handy. This time, however, we took even more precautions," said Kubal, adding that the forest department is handling the ground work currently and MNPS will take care of all these trees.
About MNPS
The green lung for populated Dharavi and Sion areas, MNPS has 18,000 trees, 582 species of plants, 128 species of birds, 84 species of butterflies, 37 species of reptiles and 30 species of spiders.
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