CHENNAI: Ahead of World Environment Day on June 5, volunteers of the Tree Ambulance team on Tuesday conducted a demonstration programme in the city, elaborating on how to relocate trees safely and announced their plans for this year.
Tree Ambulance, the brainchild of the Green man of India, Dr K Abdul Ghani and sponsored by the SASA Group was inaugurated on May 22. The first-of-its-kind initiative in the state aims at treating sick trees, planting new ones, removing dead trees and ultimately, improving the green cover.
Starting today from the SAF Games Village in Koyambedu, the Tree Ambulance will travel to all the states of India and reach Delhi in two months. “We will cover all the districts in Tamil Nadu and then move to other states and meet all the chief ministers and submit a proposal to start tree ambulance in their state. In all the destinations, volunteers of the Tree Ambulance team will stop at schools, colleges, and other institutions and educate the public on the green cover and how to take care of trees,” said Dr K Abdul Ghani.
Also, the team will soon initiate talks with the government to avail permission for installing green siren on the ambulance, like red for humans and blue for animals. Steps are being taken to waive off toll for this vehicle.
The services provided by the tree ambulance include first aid treatment, uprooted tree planting, seed bank, seed ball distribution, plant distribution, aiding tree plantation, shifting trees, a survey of trees and removal of dead trees. Travelling along with the tree ambulance is a plant expert and helpers who are armed with gardening tools, water, manure, and pesticide.
By December 2020, the organisation aims at establishing tree ambulance in all districts of India. Also, by the end of this year, the team is coming up with a device to automate the process of tree location.
To volunteer, visit:treeambulance.org