The Forest Department believes that after the initial growth of three years, trees are able to extract the desired quantity of moisture required from the underground soil through the roots (irrespective of the position of water table). We do not agree with this presumption: The trees require watering irrespective of their age (except in cases where trees are located along ponds or canals). Failure to regularly water the trees is the main reason why trees of Chandigarh and Panchkula could not grow and spread to the desired level even after the age of 25 years.

It goes without saying that trees are the greatest friends of human beings. This is because trees give much more than what they take from us. Their greenery is soothing, flowers pleasing to the eye and the shade they provide in hot summer months is always welcome. They also neutralise the greenhouse gases. The reddish-purplish delicate, new leaves of peepal (ficus religiosa), bargad (ficus bengalensis), pilkhan (ficus infectoria) and kusum (schleichera trijuga) trees look marvellous. Besides, some varieties of trees like amaltas (cassia fistula), simbal (bombax ceiba) gulmohar (delonix regia), bara champa (Mangnolia grandiflora), tecoma (tecoma argentia) provide bewitching flowery cover. The beauty of these flowers has to be seen to be believed.

The importance of medicinal value of plants is adding a new dimension to their utility. Fed up with chemical and biochemical medicines, many people, the world over, have found a new hope in herbal and medicinal plants. Amla ( phyllanthus embilica) is the richest source of vitamin-C, banana of B6, Arjuna (Terminalia Arjuna) aids stimulation of heart, neem (azadirachta indica) helps cure skin diseases and bahera (Terminalia bellirica) helps ailments related to the alimentary tract. Therefore, realising their benefits, our ancestors rightly worshipped the trees. It is the duty of the new generation also to take care of trees and provide them with water and fertilisers regularly. After all like humans, trees are also living objects and need care.

When Chandigarh was being designed by Le Corbusier, Dr M.S. Randhawa, a renowned botanist, selected the varieties of trees to be planted along the different roads. Though trees have been planted in Chandigarh in a planned manner yet their layout leaves much to be desired. What is deplorable, however, is that not even half this effort was made for planting trees in Mohali and Panchkula. Chandigarh has about 60 different varieties of trees along its roads and the green belts, whereas the number does not exceed 30 in the other two towns. Tree planning in a new township should be treated as seriously as the designing of roads. Procurement of saplings from the Forest Department and planting them in rows is not what you call planning. Soil should be tested in advance, and an assessment made of the nutrients it lacks. A list of flowering and evergreen varieties, which can be grown in the existing soil and climactic conditions, should be prepared.

The trees planted in Chandigarh are not considered suitable for birds to perch on. Likewise, the presence of fruit trees is also not in right proportion. City residents should be educated about the benefits of planting fruit trees in their backyards.There is need to launch a sustained drive to exhort residents to plant the maximum number of fruit trees. Since very few people can recognise the modern varieties, name plates should be placed on them. Brochures should also be distributed to educate people on the growth process of different varieties vis-a-vis soil conditions, fertilisers required, etc.

Tree planning in new residential and industrial townships should be based on following guidelines and concepts.

a) There are 110 varieties of beautiful flowering and evergreen trees e.g. amaltas, gulmohar, kadam (anthocephalus cadamba) and barringtonia to name a few. These trees should be planted along both sides of the roads at a distance of six metres from each other. These varieties can be grown in North India. One variety should cover a length of 300 m. The position of electricity lines should also be taken into account while deciding on the planting of trees along the roads.

b) There should be separate green belts that contain only fruit trees like mango, jamun, pomegranate, guava, etc.

c) Likewise few green belts should be reserved to plant only medicinal and aromatic plants e.g. amaltas, amla, bahera, etc. About 75 varieties of medicinal plants that can be grown in northern India are easily available. The Department of Forest, Haryana, has put up a garden of medicinal plants on the right bank of the Ghaggar. The HSIDC is putting up a similar garden at Manesar and Rai.

d) A city must take pride in having a large variety of plants. For this purpose, an effort will have to be made to bring different varieties from the different states of India. Nurseries in Dehra Dun alone can provide 250 varieties. As many as 250 varieties can be brought from the North East and southern states. Some plant species should be brought from the tropical countries also. A garden should be developed (like the famous Kew Garden of London) to house at least 500 plant varieties. A garden (arboretum) like this can become a tourist attraction.

e) A city must have a herbal garden. At least 200 varieties of herbs can be planted in North India. Literature on the medicinal value of these herbs should also be available. A beautiful herbal garden has been set up in Adbadri village in Yamunanagar district. The HSIDC is setting up a similar garden at Udyog Vihar, Gurgaon.