Plan before planting / The elephant in the room

Plan before planting

It is in a way painful to know that the two grand Silver Oak trees near IMDH have been felled by the hospital authority, and yet it is understandable because it was cut down for public safety concerns.

Just a few days earlier, it is reported, strong winds battered down a tree near the vicinity that nearly put lives at risk and cause damage to properties. Last week, a similar instance happened at DC Hill and the Ward authorities of Sangtemla and Penli had to intervene to clear the road. We are now well sensitized, to a degree, about the importance of planting trees and growing them.

With the World Environment Day happening soon, it is expected that many more tree saplings will be planted as usual. The fact that the trees had to be felled by the hospital authority teaches us the importance of planning before planting trees.

As part of the planning process, we should know what kind of trees we are planting, properly survey the location where we are planting, and define the reason and purpose of planting.

Otherwise, there is no point in planting the saplings only to let it die, or to cut it down after a few years. It will be wiser on our part if trees like Silver Oak or any oak, eucalyptus, pine, alder, jackfruit, banyan and other such giant trees are not grown in the urban and densely populated areas.

Smaller tree varieties like cherry, magnolia or myrtle make better options for us. Flowering trees or even fruit bearing trees are more preferable as opposed to giant trees. Giant trees can be planted for afforestation or land reclamation while smaller trees or even shrubs can be planted in the urban areas where the aesthetics is more important than the environmental benefits.

Besides, there are the public safety concerns too. It’s good to have a plan but it is important to plan the plan. Planning before planting is crucial.

The elephant in the room

With the kind of infrastructure we have, Mokokchung is never going to get ahead of others as far as football is concerned. It’s a cut-throat competition out there and our youngsters are just too handicapped. Even the innately most talented players need the best facilities to compete in the professional level, let alone succeed.

Football is a big festival, no doubt, and there are many potentially good players among us. We enjoy watching them play and we take delight in the festival football offers us. But that’s as far as it gets. We are all laboring in vain if we are to promote local talents with the kind of playground we have.

Everybody knows that Mokokchung needs a decent football ground. But who is going to get it for us?

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