The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will roll out a ‘Tree Ambulance’ on World Environment Day, June 5. The initiative is part of the civic body’s broader “Save Trees” campaign aimed at preserving Pune’s fragile urban ecology amid rapid development.
The Tree Ambulance will provide year-round medical support to old and damaged trees, many of which are centuries old and face increasing threats from construction, pollution, and neglect. “The ambulance will be equipped with essential tools for treating infected branches, removing nails and posters, pruning dead limbs, and even spraying pesticides,” said Ashok Ghorpade, Chief Garden Superintendent, PMC. The mobile unit will include a ladder extending up to 30 metres, a gas welding machine, a hammer, and pumps for tree treatment. A team of five trained technicians will manage operations, and one staffer will focus on seed collection from households.
The initiative has been launched in response to widespread damage to trees caused by unauthorised hoardings, pollution, and unplanned development. In many parts of the city, tree trunks are disfigured by illegal advertisements and nails, shortening their lifespan. Besides emergency tree care, the Tree Ambulance will also take up seed banking, seed ball distribution, replanting of uprooted trees, plant distribution, survey of tree health, and removal of dead or dangerous trees. “While PMC has been replanting trees affected by development projects, this unit will help in maintaining and reviving the health of existing trees—especially old ones that have survived decades of urbanisation,” Ghorpade added.
Initially, only one ambulance will serve the entire city, but PMC has hinted at expanding the service based on its performance and feedback from environmental experts and citizens.
