NDMC launches ‘tree ambulance’ to protect green cover

New Delhi, Apr 11 (PTI) The NDMC has launched a ‘tree ambulance’ for treating ailing trees and maintaining the green assets in the areas falling under it, officials said.
     The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has customised an eco-friendly CNG-run ‘tree ambulance' equipped with two water tanks, having storage capacities of 750 litres and 250 litres, and a high-pressure pump with a jetting hose.
     It also has space for carrying equipment, pesticides, fungicides, insecticides and so on.
     A team will be deployed in the ambulance to check the health of trees and to attend to complaints or reports received from field staff related to pest infestation, hollow or drying trees on a regular basis for need of treatment, washing of trees on regular basis, a statement said.
     The tree ambulance will be used to treat the ailing trees for infestation of diseases, pests, termites, etc. The hollow trunk of trees shall be provided a new lease of life through surgery, the statement added.
     The procedure of tree surgery involves removing the infected or hollowed-out part, cleaning it with a brush, washing it properly, applying insecticides, and fungicides on the infested portion and filling the hollow trunk with inert material like foam and covering it with chicken mesh followed by sealing it, it explained.
     The NDMC area has green assets including approximately 1.80 lakh trees.
     The council maintains approximately 1500 acres of green area and 135 green avenues, 10 major parks, 1400 residential colony parks, 50 roundabouts, 10 departmental nurseries including three hi-tech nurseries, and three international relationships memorial parks.
     It also maintains several ‘happiness areas’ and prestigious gardens like Nehru Park, Lodi Garden, Talkatora Garden and Sanjay Jheel, Children's Park - India Gate, Central Parks at Connaught Place, CWG Park, Shanti Path etc.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)