BMP moves on the green front on WED

On World Environment Day, the BMP has announced several new initiatives on the green front

The BMP will plant 20000 roadside saplings in the city by the end of August. Mahagony, Bauhinia, Pongamia, Jacaranda, Tabubia, Pelto Phoram, Neem, Hibiscus, Silver Oak, Kumkum, Ashoka, Champak, Badam among others are the species that will be planted. Of course, survival rates, often less than 1% make this an exercise in futility.

The 93-acre Jaya Prakash Narayan Park in Mathikere will finally be complete this year. Once a pet project of the late Chief Minister Ramakrishna Hegde, it took several years before the Mathikere Tank bund, the site of the park, was cleared of all encroachments and development commenced. The park will also have a 20-acre water body. To put the size of this enormous new lung space in perspective, Lalbagh is spread over an area of 240 acres. The BDA's 350-acre Anjanapura forest in the upcoming Banashankari VI Stage layout will dwarf both of these.

The BMP will establish a panel of eminent environmentalists including A N Yellappa Reddy and Suresh Heblikar to study patterns of tree planting and suggest measures to prevent frequent tree-falls. The panel will also suggest measures on canopy management.