Hyderabad man roped in to rescue trees being felled in Bihar

Hyderabad-based Ramchandra Appari has worked on project of transplanting of trees that faced chances of felling due to Pune and Hyderabad metro rail projects.

Thousands of trees are being felled in Bihar for widening of roads and construction of buildings. However, the state has roped in a man who has saved number of trees across the country.

Ramachandra Appari, a Hyderabad-based entrepreneur, is working on a pilot project in association with Bihar State Road Development Corporation (BSRDC) to transplant the trees that were facing threat of being felled for construction of a six-lane 6.3 km R-Block-Digha Road.

Last year, the Railways transferred 71.25 acre land to the Bihar government for construction of road. The land was used for running train between Digha Ghat and Patna Junction since 1862.

Appari, after quitting a job in a private sector bank long back, opened a firm that specialises in transplantation and translocation of trees. He arrived in Patna on Sunday to oversee the work his men were doing.

He said, “At present, we have not signed work order with the BSRDC. Now we are working on the pilot project on R-Block-Digha Road. Depending on the survival of the trees that we have transplanted, we will sign the work order. Initially we will transplant 20 trees. The rain in the capital has hampered our work."

Deputy general manager (DGM), BSRDC, Ranendra Kumar, said it was almost confirmed that Appari's firm — Green Morning Horticulture Services Private Limited — would get the job to transplant the trees on R-Block-Digha Road. “Two other firms had approached us, but their work was not up to the mark. However, Appari’s people are hardworking and the firm’s rates are reasonable,” the DGM said.

The BSRDC would get the trees transplanted on the median and also on the green corridor it would be setting up on the project’s landscape.

Appari, who has passion for saving trees, said the process of transplanting tree was complex. “First, the tree branches are pruned, then a pit around it is dug by seeing that the roots are not abruptly cut. After this, through a crane the tree is lifted and the roots treated with hormones and chemicals. The next process is burlapping of roots by using jute sheets. Once this is done, the tree is carefully shifted to the place it has to be transplanted,” he said, adding that the survival of a tree depends on its species. “We have promised 80% survival of trees that we are transplanting in Patna,” he added.

He said the cost of transplanting tree depended on its girth, “The bigger the girth, the more will be the cost.”

Appari has worked on project of transplanting of trees that faced chances of felling due to Pune and Hyderabad metro rail projects. He has also signed work order for transplanting of trees that fell in the way of construction of bullet train between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. “We will be transplanting at least 5,000 trees for bullet train project.” His firm has also worked for Odisha’s forest department at Baliguda, where the trees were transplanted owing to widening of road.