A Hyderabad based NGO called "Vata Organisation" began a new phase in the conservation of trees. In this age where the whole city has become a concrete jungle, these green warriors are fighting to conserve whatever greenery that is left in the city. They save the endangered trees which are ordered to chop off either for constructing roads or any other purposes and relocate them to an area where they can re grow.
The idea started from the diminishing of many animal and bird species. The answer was to save trees in order to save them. The loss of green cover, increase in pollution and irreverent cutting down of older trees has resulted in the diminishing bird population. Concrete building and neatly paved paths can’t bring back the endangered species, this being the driving force they voluntarily started working on relocating trees in a different area. The movement began when a proposed flyover under the Strategic Road Development Plan (SRDP) in Hyderabad, claimed 15 trees and threatened a 100 more. Citizens led by P. Udaykrishna, the founder of Vata organisation took matters in their own hands. They relocated those trees to the next trees where the people living willingly offered their support.
After this incident Vata Foundation had intervened to save trees from getting chopped off. Prior to this they had called for help from the public and corporate sector in a bid to relocate 300 trees, which were felled at Raidurgam for the same reason. Soon the word spread and people from various parts of the state started calling them for their services.
The process of translocation of the trees can get quite difficult at times as they perform this by limited resources. It takes a lot of commitment and hard work for the relocation of even a single tree. The trees are carefully trimmed and the roots prepared. A three-week time period is involved when the tree starts to grow new roots and new shoots. Only then is it carefully relocated.
Vata organisation also works on increasing Tiger habitat and provides urban forests for the flora and fauna that our fast growing cities are displacing. They shared an online appeal and messages requesting voluntary organisations to offer to raise about ₹5 lakh for the translocation. For more details on donating you can visit their website.
