Eco group to plant 73 trees

AURANGABAD: Prayas Foundation, formed by a group of citizens and National Cadet Corps (NCC), has decided to take up a tree plantation drive to compensate for those being felled on Dr Bhapkar Road (linking the railway station and Kranti Chowk) in the road widening process.

Ravi Chowdhary, a member of the group, said they have decided to plant 73 banyan trees in the monsoon. According to Chowdhary, "The group has decided to replace the banyan trees which will be cut down for road widening from Railway station - Kranti Chowk. Moreover, we decided to plant 23 as a tribute to the Delhi gang-rape victim. Altogether, 73 trees will be planted in the coming monsoon."

The group will meet civic chief Purushottam Bhapkar to seek permission to plant the trees on both sides of Cidco bus stand to High Court road. "If we do not get permission here we will carry out our project on Gogababa Tekdi," said Chowdhary.

The group has adopted Gogababa Tekdi to make it green. It has established a non-commercial nursery with help from Prakash Kulkarni, which has over 700 saplings of jackfruit, cashew nut, blackberry, custard apple, banyan and others. Saplings have been planted in water bottles, plastic oil bags and milk bags.

There are around 100 members of which 80% are students, 10% are working professionals and the rest are working students. Members prefer to donated money to orphanages on their birthdays. The group gives artificial sparrow-homes as a gift to members. On new year's day the group collecting old clothes and distributed them to poor children and orphans.