It’s early summer and the day temperatures are soaring. Year after year, the rising mercury levels have affected normal life in cities along the coastline.
Guntur, surrounded by dry and rugged hills on one side, and the Bay of Bengal on the other, usually experiences record high temperatures and heat waves during summer. The season’s highest temperature is recorded at Rentachinatala, near Macherla in the Palnadu region, where mercury levels touch 50 degrees Celsius.
It has become normal for the city to witness changes in weather with above normal temperatures, and the heat waves especially during summer and has turned into the urban heat island.
While Guntur is known for its torrid summers, what has been worrying is the alarming pace at which the green cover is fast depleting within the town. The rapid construction activity means that more and more trees are being felled. As roads are getting widened and new localities spring up outside the town, more dry patches are beginning to emerge.
Groundwater
The rapid depletion of green cover also means that the groundwater levels are being depleting as there is no way that the rainwater can seep into the earth’s surface. The groundwater levels have plummeted to a depth of 40 Below Ground Level (BGL) at Chandramouli Nagar during May 2018 and in May 2019, the BGL at Naidupet was 8.8 metres.
The Guntur Municipal Corporation has taken up tree plantation activity along the roads, improved residential parks, but the effort has to be complemented by civic society and it is heartening to see some youngsters chipping in.
Green warriors
A NIT Rourekala Engineering graduate NSV Sarath Chandra is leading a group of enthusiastic youngsters to take up tree plantation. A team of about 50 young men are part of a team which identify ideal locations, dig up pits, transport the trees in their own vehicles and plant them. They prefer public places where trees can grow well without any hindrances. The team members also urge the families and the and shopkeepers nearby to water them regularly.
There has been a good response to the drive and the team claims that they have planted 500 trees already. They have planted along Donka Road, Vidyanagar, Outer Ring Road, Mangalagiri Road, Ashok Nagar, Pandaripuram, Balaji Nagar and few locations in Lakshmipuram.
“We need to promote green cover along the road margins, and the civic body should mark specialised sites for planting trees. The civic bodies should also prefer planting trees which can grow big and offer shade rather decorative trees,” said Mr. Sarath Chandra.
