ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) is facing problems with moving trees from under construction sites and planting them elsewhere as its tree transplant machine cannot move large trees and often develops faults.

A CDA source told Dawn on Monday that the civic agency’s Environment Wing had proposed the purchasing of a tree transplant machine for Rs15 million in 2007.

According to the source, the then chairman had granted approval and the environment directorate had purchased a machine which was unable to uproot and transplant big trees.

“According to the plan, we were to purchase a truck-mounted tree transplant machine but we bought a tractor mounted one instead which cannot uproot big trees,” the official said.

The source was discussing the uprooting of a large number of pine trees along Jinnah Avenue, which could not be re-planted during the construction of the metro bus track.

“Our machine was unable to move the pine trees which is why we kept quiet on the issue,” an official of the environment directorate said.

He said corruption takes place in the purchasing of various machines including the tractor-mounted tree transplant machine in question.

“The machine’s engine was repaired four times,” he said.

“I will look into why a smaller machine was purchased instead of one which can uproot bigger trees and re-plant them,” said Chief Metropolitan Officer Asad Mehboob Kayani.

Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2017