A 70-year-old huge banyan tree in Rajanna Sircilla district in Telangana which was uprooted due to heavy rains during the monsoon season has been given a new lease of life and translocated elsewhere. The tree was successfully translocated on Sunday, February 13. The tree had to be translocated to a place at about a 6 km distance, for which a special road was laid. Two 70-tonne capacity cranes were pressed into service to shift the tree.
According to reports, the tree, which was initially located on the outskirts of Suddala village in Konaraopet Mandal in Rajanna Sircilla district, was uprooted due to heavy rains about four months ago. Due to lack of water, the tree had started drying up and appeared as though it was dead. Dobbala Prakash, a nature lover from the same village who noticed the tree, decided to transplant it.
Prakash kept watering it for two months, following which new leaves started sprouting. He then began to look for donors to help with the translocation. TRS Rajya Sabha MP J Santosh Kumar, who launched a Green India Challenge programme to protect the environment and reduce pollution, came to know about the tree and extended help to translocate it.
Experts from the Hyderabad-based Vata Foundation were roped in, who worked for several days to prepare the tree for translocation to the new Collectorate in Sircilla which was 6 km away from Suddala village. A special road was laid for moving the tree, and when a single crane with 70 tonne capacity could not lift the tree, another crane with the same capacity was also brought in.
One of the most satisfying moments in my life. A 70-year old huge banyan #Tree that had been uprooted due to heavy rains in sircilla was translocated with the help of @KTRTRS garu. When I brought this issue to his notice, he immediately instructed concerned officials.
— Santosh Kumar J (@MPsantoshtrs) February 14, 2022
1/2 pic.twitter.com/fmpfh4NZiO
MP J Santosh Kumar, who took up the initiative with the cooperation of the district administration, said two large branches from the mother tree were planted at Zillella forest area in Tangannapalli mandal.
A massive 100-tonne #Banyantree, more than 70 years old, that fell 4 months ago due to torrential rains in the #Sircilla dist of #Telangana has been saved by the efforts of #environmental activists, with the help of Rajya Sabha MP #SantoshKumar, who known for #greeninitiatives pic.twitter.com/IVBZovUyZe
— Surya Reddy (@jsuryareddy) February 14, 2022