KOLKATA: Jadavpur University has formed a committee to survey the health of trees on campus, conserve them and save them from being uprooted. The move was taken after a few trees unexpectedly fell after a squall in May. A joint survey conducted by a JU team and KMC officials to assess the condition of the 1,500-plus trees on campus has identified a few of them as dangerous and leaning.
Registrar Snehamanju Basu said pruning and conservation will take place following suggestions of the expert committee. “The trees on campus have number tags so we will strictly document details, like when and how a tree fell, and how some were restored. There are trees that need to be cut down, so we will document the reasons as well,” said Basu.
“The trees in front of K P Basu Memorial Hall were not getting enough space to grow. We have been able to put them back and we hope they survive,” said Soumyajit Biswas, deputy director, eastern region, National Medicinal Plants Board and member of the committee.
According to the KMC report, the kadam tree on the eastern side of Aurobindo Bhavan, the saal tree near the chemical engineering department and the radhachura in front of the science building are in ‘very dangerous condition’. They are leaning towards the road and may fall any time causing loss of property and life. The other trees mentioned in the report are a bakul tree in front of G C Sen Memorial Students’ Hostel and a shishu tree near PG Science building.
A university staffer said the estate section report identified 600 trees as ‘dangerous’. Sujit Kumar Mandal, comparative literature department head and committee chairman, felt a reason for uprooting of trees is unplanned plantations on campus.
