Kolkata's Jadavpur University conducts tree census in its campus in a bid to prevent cutting of trees

Jadavpur University authorities have launched its first-ever census of trees in the campus, a senior varsity official said on Thursday.

The exercise, as part of which trees in the 58-acre university campus are being mapped through GPS, videographed and awarded number tags, has been launched on August 7.

"The mapping process, aimed at preventing cutting of trees, has begun in the main building area," he said, adding the exact number of trees mapped till now has not yet been calculated.

He said such an exercise has never been undertaken on the campus.

The official said as part of the exercise, authorities have begun video graphing the trees after dividing the campus into separate zones.

He said no incident of cutting of trees has been reported since the commencement of the exercise.

The drive began after members of Jadavpur University Teachers' Association (JUTA) alleged two trees inside the campus were chopped by a group of people.

The JUTA members had submitted photographs of the two chopped trees to the authorities in mid-July, after which they had promised to conduct a census of the trees in the campus, a spokesperson of the teachers' body said.

"There had been past instances of trees being chopped and surreptitiously transported out of the campus," he said.

Trees in the campus include Mahogany, Mango, Arjun, Siris among others.

While supporting the tree census and promising to keep a vigil against cutting of trees, the Arts Faculty Students Union also undertook a plantation drive on Wednesday.

"The plantation drive is our initiative to conserve the greenery of the campus," Titash, a student, said.