Forest officer to help BCC manage trees

Forest officer to help BCC manage trees
New Indian Express


Phones ring at the BCC control room at its head office as the rain brings in emergency calls

BANGALORE: The Bangalore City Corporation (BCC) is planning to get the services of a forest department officer to manage its parks and to take care of roadside trees.

The decision comes a day after Chief Minister Dharam Singh extended complete co-operation to the civic body to remove dangerous trees to prevent any loss of life in the coming monsoons during his city tour on Tuesday.

BCC commissioner K. Jothiramalingam, on Wednesday, wrote to urban development department seeking an officer of the rank of deputy conservator of forests to head the horticulture department in the corporation.

The commissioner told this website’s newspaper: ‘‘We have more than 400 parks and an annual budget allocation of more than Rs. 20 crore. This requires an expert to head the department.’’

MONSOON PREPAREDNESS>: The commissioner said BCC was fully geared up to tackle any problem arising out of monsoon.

He said four control rooms had been set up, one each at three zonal offices and a master control room at the head office at NR square.

The BCC has stationed 11 Prahari vehicles with wireless sets and over 100 gangmen, 15 engineers and an additional staff from the horticultural department to tackle any unforeseen incidents.