BMP's sapling planting drive

I am not sure if the BMP's annual tree planting drive is to be greeted with admiration or dismissed with dismay. The BMP carries out its annual ritual of planting anywhere between 20000 to 100000 saplings every year around the city in June-July (the time of the year just before the monsoon rains, also Vanamahotsava) without fail. But it remains a pointless exercise because its carried out mechanically without any thought to the choice of saplings or location. More than 98% of the saplings die out in the first year due to a variety of causes - pollution, lack of care, cows, people who destroy the sapling because it comes in the way of something. The remaining few are invariably chopped off by BESCOM in the third or fourth year when they have grown tall enough to start interfering with the power lines. If any good is to come out of this, then some careful thought and planning should be given to the locations where the saplings are laid. Avoid narrow footpaths or locations right below electric lines. Also, an attitude of 'plant it, forget it' should be discarded and the respective corporation ward offices should inspect the saplings from time to time till they can survive on their own. Better still, if some sort of local citizen's group could be involved in the nurturing of these saplings.