"Plant species should be selected as per the local demand and preferably local species should be selected. More preference should be given to medicinal plants, fruit plants, timber, fodder, fuel plants as per soil quality. Mono cropping should be avoided," said ND Choudhary, legal consultant with Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board (MSBB).

Deputy director of social forestry department (SFD) Kishore Mishrikotkar said on Tuesday that as far as the city was concerned, focus will be on local species like banyan, neem, pipal, mango and amaltas trees. However, TOI visit to some forest department nurseries found that banyan and pipal trees were very small in size and it was difficult to say how many of them would really survive.

Retired divisional forest officer (DFO) RS Bhangu, who had been awarded for his plantation technique, stressed the need for site specific trees and called for root watering. "Vidarbha has a hot climate and hence root watering holds key. However, when the target is huge, focus is on quantity and not quality, and hence it is not expected that scientific plantation will be a priority," said Bhangu.

"It may happen that plantations will overlap linear projects like highways, roads, electric lines and construction sites. This will give a feeling of satisfaction but in a couple of years these trees will vanish," said Koustav Chatterjee, founder of Green Vigil.

Choudhary said saplings should be at least two years old, local species, and in big plastic or gunny bag. Tall plants in small bags should be avoided because the roots will be coiled up preventing further growth and height of the plants. Plants with broken apical end, diseased or torn up sapling too should not be used.

Experts feared for the safety of saplings in transportation too. Choudhary says saplings should not be kept one above the other during transport. Before transportation, saplings should be hardened by not watering them for some intervals, so they can adapt to planting in waste land. After transportation, the plant should be watered immediately to sustain shock caused by transportation.

"I don't think when target is so huge all these safety measures will be followed. We found that in many places even the pits are not up to the mark. Small pits would kill the saplings as roots will not penetrate deep enough," said Chatterjee.

Choudhary says the pits should be dug in summer and should be at least 60cm x 60cm. While digging the pit, the upper organic soil should be kept on one side of the pit so as to add it in the pit while planting. He said planting should be done in the morning or evening.

Mishrikotkar said provision of fencing and protection of saplings has to be done by the respective agencies. "We are ready to supply saplings at a discounted price," he added.

Where To Plant Which Species

* Farm Bunds: Bamboo, hadga, shevga, shevri, bhendi, neem, kadhipatta

* Farm Fencing: Sagargota, chilhar, shikakai, hingni, jatropha

* Fuel Wood: Babul, khair, hiwar, bamboo

* Medicinal: Hirda, behada, amla, arjun, neem, karanj, ritha, and nirgudi

* Agriculture Fertility: Umbar, karanj, shevri

* Agro Forestry: Amla, anjir, phanas, imli, karwand, bor, karanj

* Near Houses: Raktachandan, chandan, umbar, bakul, parijat and bel

* Oxygen Trees: Banyan, pipal, umbar, neem, kadamb

* Pollution Control: Pipal, karanj, umbar, ashok, shirish, mango, sitrafal, jamun, ramfal, amaltas, guava, ber, neem, amla, imli, mohua, bel

* Clean Air: Dhuja, palas, sawar, kadamb, amaltas

* Road Median: Korfad, kokli, sher, jatropha, ashwagandha

* Air Pollution Protectors: Mango, ashoka, bakul, sonchafa, jaswand, parijat, ratrani, mehndi, tulsi, mogra