For the first time, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation
(GHMC) has decided to fix responsibilities on contractor agencies for
maintenance of saplings and protection of tree guards for a minimum of
two years.

Maintenance of plants by contractors was not existing
previously resulting in huge loses to the corporation as the saplings
that were planted were dying within days of planting due to non-watering
and the tree guards getting stolen and sold in the scrap market by
petty thieves to make easy buck.

From now onwards, contractors who
bag the contract award for tree plantation in  residential colonies and
other places have to compulsorily maintain them, water them everyday
and protect the tree guards for a period of two years.

The GHMC
will take over their maintenance after two years from the agencies only
if the plants are maintained in good condition and tree guards are in
place.

Speaking to Express, additional commissioner for urban
biodiversity N Chandramohan Reddy said that it was for the first time
the corporation was fixing responsibilities on contractors for taking
care of the plants. Tenders were called to select the contractors for
all the 18  circles. About 20 percent of the contract amount will be
deposited with the GHMC as security deposit.

On quarterly basis,
GHMC officials will inspect the colonies where saplings were planted and
will check whether the trees are growing properly and submit reports to
the higher authorities for taking necessary action against the
contractors if any loopholes are found.

The GHMC will also take the support of Residential Colony Welfare Associations in keeping tabs on the contractors.  

With
the arrival of monsoon, the GHMC Urban Biodiversity will take up one
lakh tree plantations this season. Of them, 50,000  will be planted in
residential colonies,  20,000 in 892 open spaces, 10,000 in institutions
like schools and colleges,  10,000 native species in 15 biodiversity
parks, 5,000 herbal plants each in 10-C Jubilee Hills  and Ashwini
Layout parks.

Species such as Peltophorum, ficus, Spathodea
campanulata, Pongamia pinnata, Tabebuia,  Holoptelea integrifolia, neem
and others will be planted in the above places.