Private watering saves public tree
Gulf News reader takes action to prevent a tree from dying
Our reader took action to prevent a tree in his area from dying after the municipality said it is not responsible.
The problem I recently reported in Gulf News has still not been resolved. Our neighbourhood Bo or "Peepal" tree is located near the Bur Dubai substation.
For the past few months, the tree has been drying out due to the lack of water.
The Municipality finally threw in the towel, saying that the land did not belong to them and that it in fact belongs to the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa).
We approached Dewa and the substation staff as well, but they could not help. Incidentally, the watering tubes are located just a few metres away - perhaps a maximum of 20 metres - from the tree. Fortunately, it is on the same side of the road, too! If the decision is made to provide water to the tree regularly, it would be just a matter of a few minutes of effort and the arrangements could be made.
We have been watering the tree using 20 gallon bottles. As we do not stay nearby, we use our car to transport these bottles every day.
We are planning our vacation shortly and the thought that these trees would be without care is a constant source of worry for us. With the summer's sweltering heat, the trees cannot survive even for a few days without water.
The tree has now been fully restored to greenery and we would like to make sure it stays that way. Would someone be willing to adopt these trees for a month's period until we return from our vacation? We leave tomorrow. Please email me at shivagugan@yahoo.com if you are interested in volunteering!
The reader is a quality assurance head, based in Dubai.
Facts about Bo Trees
- The Sacred Fig (Ficus religiosa) or Bo Tree is a species of banyan fig, which is native to India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, southwest China and Indo-China east of Vietnam.
- It is a large dry season-deciduous or semi-evergreen tree.
- It can grow up to 30 metres tall and have a trunk diameter of up to three metres.
How to take care of the Bo Tree
- Temperature: The tree prefers a higher temperature. The suitable temperature for growth is 20C to 32C.
- Soil: It can grow on most soils, and its development is especially good in loam, with organic components and adequate drainage. Ideally requires slightly acidic soil with a pH below seven.
- Water: Higher humidity is preferred, with proper drainage. Water until the soil is wet.
After reading todayâ??s community report "rivate watering saves public tree", I must say that we hardly find people like Shivagami Gugan! In reality she has given a re-birth to the dying plant. We must understand her dedication and attachment towards nature; preserving plants and life on earth is everyone's requirement. Whether it is plant, animal or human, saving a precious life is something which everyone cannot commit. I hope someone with a similar mindset will come forward to continue watering the tree until Shivagami is back from her holiday.
Ramachandran Nair
Ruwi,Oman
Posted: June 27, 2009, 14:00
