UDHAM SINGH NAGAR - Forest authorities here are transplanting trees, which were supposed to be cut in a road-broadening project.

Such an effort has been undertaken in countries like China and Singapore to save forests.

Inspired by their success ratio, forest authorities decided to adopt this in Udham Singh Nagar.

“We are trying to transplant 20 to 30 years old big trees planted on the roadsides with their roots.

Earlier, such efforts have been done in China and Singapore. But in Uttarakhand, it’s for the first time that such an effort is taking place on such a large scale,” said Parag Madhuker, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), tarai central forest division, Haldwani.

Forest officials feel that such an effort will play a pivotal role in forest conservation in the near future.

“According to the statistics, in the past around 60-70 per cent success has been achieved in tree transplantation. Since all trees were supposed to be cut, we undertook such an effort. I feel that in future, this effort will be important for forest conservation,” said Madhuker.

Trees are uprooted during transplantation for shifting them to the desired locations. They are treated with fungicide to safeguard them from infection.

Also Indole Butyric Acid (IBC) is used to promote the formation of roots at their new location. By Vipul Goel (ANI)