PMC Admits No Survival Data for 17,533 Trees Planted in Pune Over 2 Years
Pune, 18th April 2026: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has planted 17,533 trees over the past two years as part of compensatory afforestation efforts, but lacks consolidated data on how many of these trees have survived, highlighting a major gap in monitoring.
The issue surfaced during the civic body’s April meeting after corporator Datta Bahirat sought details on trees cut, transplanted, and planted following the city’s tree census.
In its response, the administration stated that a tree census conducted till March 18, 2024, recorded 57.81 lakh trees across Pune. It further revealed that between April 2024 and April 2026, a total of 17,533 trees were planted.
However, when asked about their survival status, the administration admitted that no comprehensive data is currently available.
Officials said compiling such information would require a detailed survey, and instructions have been issued to 15 ward offices to collect the data.
The reply also noted that permission was granted to fell 7,132 trees during this period, while 6,254 were transplanted. In addition, 17,533 trees were planted as compensation. The absence of survival data has raised concerns about the effectiveness of these plantation efforts.
The disclosure comes amid growing environmental concerns in Pune, where temperatures have crossed 42°C in recent weeks, attributed in part to rapid urbanisation and declining green cover.
Out of the city’s total area of 518 sq km, only 25.01 sq km is under green cover. This accounts for around 10 percent in the old city limits and drops to nearly 5 percent after the inclusion of newly merged villages. Experts have warned that the shrinking green cover could have serious ecological consequences.
Meanwhile, the PMC has set a target of planting 50 lakh trees as part of its budget. With limited space available within city limits, the civic body has approached the forest department to identify land for future plantations.
Civic activists have questioned the feasibility and accountability of the proposed drive, stating that without tracking the survival of existing plantations, setting new targets may not yield meaningful results.
