NGO to rope in colleges to increase City s green cover

NGO to rope in colleges to increase City s green cover
Vijay Times

Bangalore: Roping in students from colleges in and around the City , Parisar, a city based NGO will set up over 100 ecoclubs to embark upon its mega afforestation programme at Thippagondanahalli catchment area.

A par t of its ongoing effor ts to increase Bangalore’s green cover, Nisarg proposes to plant 21,000 saplings under project Spoorthivana in coordination with Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), Kar nataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) and Lake Development Authority (LDA).

‘‘We have already taken up the project with various colleges and would be launching it simultaneously with the involvement of about 3,000 students to convert TG Halli catchment area into a green belt,’’ said Eshwar Prasad B, Secretar y Parisara while adding that over a 100 colleges had extended their support to the ambitious project.

Three lecturers drawn from each of the arts, science and commerce streams will be initially trained to set up a batch of 30 pre-university and degree students in their respective colleges to set the eco-educational programme rolling.

A separate syllabus which does not interfere with the routine studies is being prepared for the students and the faculty members for the programme, he said, adding that environmental experts would be involved in the training aspect and monitoring of the eco-clubs, he said.

Prasad, also convenor of Spoorthivana, has also launched the concept of ’own a tree and increase the green cover’ wherein a citizen can donate Rs 500 to get a tree planted and nurtured under his name.

Aimed at covering about 300 acres of TG Halli catchment area, the scheme would be extended to bring available vacant land in and around the City under green cover, he added.

4 100 Eco Clubs in as many colleges

4 Afforestation programme at Thippagondanahalli (TG Halli) catchment area

4 Project Spoorthivana in collaboration along with Bangalore W ater Supply and Sewerage Board Karnataka State Pollution Control Board and Lake Development Authority