Two lakh trees have been mapped, geo-tagged and entered into a digital database across several parameters in Ludhiana, marking the first-ever tree census conducted for a Punjab city. The census assumes significance as the industrial city continues to grapple with severe air pollution, over-concretisation and minimal tree cover. Speaking to The Indian Express, Ojasvi Alankar, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana, said the tree census was conducted as per the Tree Preservation Policy for Non-Forest Government and Public Lands 2024, notified by the Punjab government's Department of Forests and Wildlife Preservation. "In Punjab, Ludhiana is the first city to have this census done. The 2024 policy directed that a digital tree database be prepared within one year. The company was selected through open tendering based on the lowest financial bid, for Rs 29 per tree," said Alankar. The census covers only trees within Municipal Corporation (MC) limits, excluding areas under the Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT) and Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA). In the first phase, 2 lakh trees across 46 wards have been covered; another 50,000 will be added in subsequent phases. "We have initially paid Rs 18 lakh to the company for 70,000 trees. The remaining payment will be made only after we verify the preliminary report, which contains photos, geo-tagged locations and other details of each tree," Alankar said. The census has been conducted by M/S Ornet Technologies Limited, a Navi Mumbai-based private firm hired by Ludhiana MC at Rs 29 per tree. The mapping of 2 lakh trees is expected to cost approximately Rs 58 lakh in total. Trees have been classified on the basis of scientific name, local name, health status, photograph, latitude and longitude, presence of bird nests, concrete coverage over roots, nails, lichens, heritage status, and whether the species is indigenous or exotic. On the utility of the digital database, Vineet Kumar, Joint Commissioner, Ludhiana MC, said: "It will help verify illegal felling of trees using photos in the database and identify areas where plantation is needed. If the preliminary report for 2 lakh trees is found satisfactory after verification, we will extend the tender to the remaining wards." Ludhiana's trees in numbers The first-phase census covers wards 31 to 73 and wards 91, 92 and 93. Of the 2 lakh trees mapped, 700 have been identified as heritage trees, of which at least 99 per cent are indigenous species, including 177 banyan and 379 peepal trees. Overall, 70% of Ludhiana's mapped trees are indigenous and 30% exotic. The 2 lakh trees span at least 176 species. The most numerous include Pukar or Ficus Benjaminia (27,488), Ashok (23,413), Bakain (10,818), Neem (8,373), Fox Tail Palm (5,416), Champa (5,161), Buttonwood (6,324), Amrood (3,732), Nilgiri (2,878), Amaltas (2,692), Jamun (2,647), Khajur (2,366), Nimbu (1,758), Silver Oak (3,301), Mango (4,218), Gulmohar (1,339), Peepal (2,467) and Bargad (830), among others. Health status has been classified into eight categories. Of the 2 lakh trees, 1,65,167 — over 80%, are healthy, while 32,876 have been mechanically cut, 1,394 are dead, 385 are of average health, 70 are in poor health, 38 are diseased, 36 are in a dangerous state and 31 were found uprooted during the survey. By age, 51,038 trees are between one and five years old, 55,334 are six to ten years, 58,916 are 11 to 20 years, 23,396 are 21 to 30 years, 8,206 are 31 to 40 years, 2,147 are 41 to 50 years and 993 are above 50 years.
