Crowdfunding initiative helps transplant trees in Sarjapur

Four trees that were transplanted by residents of Sarjapur through crowdfunding have sprung back to life with new shoots, sending a message to the PWD, which was set to axe them.

The PWD had decided to fell more than 200 trees for widening the Dommasandra-Attibele road. Residents of Sarjapur decided to show it to PWD officials that the trees can be saved by transplanting them.

Sarjapur Residents Welfare Association raised funds from concerned people and sought help from Ilango Subramanian of Chennai-based Jeyam Landscape and Garden Consultants and tree committee member Vijay Nishanth.

On May 13 and 14, three peepal trees and one neem tree were transplanted. While Yamare lake got a peepal tree, the premises of Inventure Academy’s International School got two peepal trees and a neem tree.

Though the transplantation work took three days, those who were closely involved in the process as well as residents were anxiously waiting for the trees to spring back to life.

“Relocating trees had put a lot of responsibility on us. Just watering them is not enough. Subramanian had given us a ‘medicine’ to apply on the slashes on the tree trunk. We sprayed water mixed with the medicine regularly,” said Sarjapur RWA president Jagadish Kotturu Shettar.

Shettar said Nishanth had given a traditional organic fertiliser called ‘jeevamrutham,’ which was applied to the trees once every 15 days. “We spent Rs 3 lakh for the whole process, of which Rs 2.85 lakh was raised through crowdfunding. We collected Rs 19,500 through direct contribution from the people,” he said.

The effort of Sarjapur residents has already become a tale of inspiration for others. “Many people come here just to see the transplanted trees. They appreciate us for saving trees which were marked for felling. We are happy that this work is inspiring others,” he said.