Seven 50-yr-old green giants at Hwh stn find new home near Rail Museum
Times of India | 22 July 2024
Kolkata: On Sunday, the Howrah division of Eastern Railway undertook a significant green conservation effort by successfully transplanting seven trees, all more than 50 years old, opposite Rail Museum. The original home of the trees was at the construction site of new platform number 24. The trees include three peepal, three bargad and a kadam.
The transplantation process began with preparatory measures two months in advance, which included trimming the trees above trunk level.Chemicals such as SAAF and neem seal were applied to reduce water transpiration and encourage new leaf growth, preparing the trees for transplantation.
The process involved excavation by digging around the trees to a depth of 2 metres, carefully cutting extra roots and uprooting the trees using a 25MT crane and then moving them in truck to their new location, approximately 1 kilometre away. Root treatment was also taken up by treating the roots again with SAAF and neem seal oil. The new site was readied by digging trenches in advance and enriching them with biochemical fertilizers and finally planting/placing the trees in trenches. Later, the trenches were covered with soil.
The entire operation took about 10 hours. Sanjeev Kumar, divisional railway manager, Howrah, highlighted the significance of environmental protection, emphasizing that planting and preserving trees ensures oxygen for future generations. “This was the first and only tree transplantation initiative in the Howrah division where seven mature trees were successfully restored and transplanted together,” he added.