As mercury soars, New Town group starts experiment to keep plants in good health
Times of India | 17 March 2025
12 Kolkata: A New Town-based nature lovers' forum, which planted close to 3,500 trees in different areas of New Town in the last three years, is conducting an experiment to ensure the trees receive regular water to survive the summer heat. Members of Ecologic are half-burying a one-litre plastic bottle of water next to the trees they are planting. Each bottle has a tiny hole at the bottom so that water oozes into the soil very slowly, keeping it moist for a long period.
"We are following the technique of drip irrigation. In the process, water slowly drips into the soil at the root zone of the tree or sapling, and hence the need for frequent watering is avoided. We started experimenting with this system as we struggle to cope with the watering needs of hundreds of small plants in the township," said Biswajit Majumdar, an engineer and resident of Eastern High complex in New Town, who was one of the founding members of the forum.
So far, the forum has half-buried six bottles. "Dry leaves are placed around the stem to prevent water from evaporating and water drips out of the bottles for about two-three days. The soil remains moist for around another two-three days," said Dilip Sen, another member.
"It is a very effective technique for watering trees. This kind of initiative can be seen in places like Rajasthan and Gujarat, where a water pot is placed beside large fruit trees for water to seep slowly for a few days. This helps cut down manpower needed for the task as the bottles or pots need to be filled after a few days," said Bidhannagar Horticulture Society secretary Arijit Poddar.
"The overall biodiversity of the soil benefits from this watering technique," said Partha Karak, a botanist.
The forum is now planning to conduct workshops to educate children on eco-friendly and sustainable measures. "Adopting a nature-friendly lifestyle can help us achieve a better quality of life," Majumdar said.