West Bengal: Teachers Root For Greenery, Breathe New Life Into Fallen Trees
Ninety per cent of the trees planted by 'Green Heaven' in Asansol have survived, reports Taraknath Chatterjee.
Published : August 30, 2026 at 3:08 PM IST
Asansol: Uprooted by a storm, a banyan tree lay there, with its roots severed from the soil. Still, a pulse persisted. A group of teachers heard the faint cry of that struggling life and rushed to save the tree.
A mission began to revive the near-dead, bark-stripped tree. The teachers nourished it with fertilizers and water for days, forging a new bond between its roots and the earth. Three weeks later, fed by rainwater, the branches were teeming with fresh green leaves and tender shoots. Fuelled by 'unfading hope,' the team of volunteers succeeded in breathing new life into the tree.
In the rugged industrial landscape of Asansol, West Bardhaman, a green brigade is restoring greenery. This group of teachers plants trees across the city. They also shoulder the responsibility of ongoing care. As a result, whenever a tree in the city is injured or in distress, the call goes out to this 'Chhannachhara' team — people who can hear the silent pulse of life.
COVID-19 Pandemic
When schools in Asansol were closed during the pandemic, these teachers would cook meals at home and deliver them daily to the homeless and those living on the streets. Later, the idea of greening the industrial city occurred to them. The group of teachers began planting trees across Asansol, joined by individuals from other professions. They named their organisation 'Green Heaven.' Their mission extends beyond planting; their slogan is 'Save the Trees.'
Ninety per cent of the trees planted by 'Green Heaven' in Asansol have survived and are thriving. Moreover, inspired by reports from ETV Bharat, the organisation planted numerous 'Asan' trees — which had disappeared from the area — across the city.
Beyond tree planting, 'Green Heaven' has also undertaken the task of restoring ponds. They are cleaning ponds that were choked with water hyacinths and debris, working to make the water healthy again.
The organisation's primary goal was to green the city. In late April, members learned that a 20-to-25-year-old banyan tree inside the Asansol District Hospital had been uprooted during a storm. The tree had fallen, taking its paved platform along with it. Locals and passersby used to rest in its shade, and mendicants would often sit there. Upon hearing this, 'Green Heaven' members began considering how to replant the dying tree. After consulting experts and gathering the necessary information, they sprang into action to save it.
Pinakiranjan Chakraborty, a government school teacher and member of the volunteer organisation, told ETV Bharat, "We were new to this kind of work. Experts advised us that to save the tree, we first needed to prune its branches. Since the main root system had been uprooted, the tree would no longer be able to draw nutrients to sustain its foliage, causing it to wither and die. We cut off the large branches ourselves. Then, we brought in a JCB machine to dig a large pit and replanted the tree."
He added, "Before replanting the tree, we applied a large amount of organic fertiliser. It required a significant quantity of water, so we hired water tankers from the Asansol Municipal Corporation to water the base regularly. New leaves appeared after three weeks. We had replanted the tree last May, on the occasion of Rabindra Jayanti. New leaves began to sprout by mid-July. The joy of this moment is indescribable."
The organisation's confidence soared after saving a tree that had been uprooted during a storm. Subsequently, the members saved several other uprooted trees in the same manner. In the 'Battala Bazar' area of Mahishila, Asansol, they revived an old tree that had fallen during a storm. They have also begun work to save another tree in the Panchgachia area of Barabani. In every instance, the members breathed new life into the trees through tireless effort — ranging from pruning branches and using machinery to hoist the trees upright, to providing regular care, water, and fertiliser.
Residents had been disheartened to see trees uprooted by the storm. The idea that such trees could be saved was beyond their imagination. However, the locals are delighted by this remarkable achievement. They, too, have stepped in to help save the trees; some bring water from their homes to nourish them while others provide financial support.
Milan Chowdhury is the caretaker priest of a temple situated next to the boundary wall of Asansol District Hospital. The banyan tree stood right beside this temple. He witnessed every moment of the tree's journey from being uprooted to its revival.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, Chowdhury said, "This tree is very dear to us. So many people used to sit on the masonry platform built around it and rest. It fell in a storm in April. Then these boys from the neighbourhood started fighting. Now the tree has grown new leaves."
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