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.