Preserve trees to keep the city cool

Preserve trees to keep the city cool
The Hindu

The promise of planting two saplings for every tree cut should be kept by the Government to preserve the salubrious climate of the city, say our readers.

Preserve trees

The actual measurable increase in mean summer temperatures may not be much over the course of 30 years. But one does feel the heat more, especially during April, because of the loss of tree cover. Even today, if the walk along a tree-lined road, we find the heat bearable. It is a lesson for us not to tamper too much with the environment and not to cut down too many trees.

V. Prasad,

Malleswaram

Making way for roads

Tree felling to some extent may be inevitable to widen roads and build flyovers; what else can we do with close to 25 lakh vehicles on the roads? Other trees should be carefully preserved and the promise to plant two saplings for every one tree cut should be kept by the administration. Not all of us can afford air conditioners and run away to the hills when the temperature goes up.

K.R.Dakshinamurthy,

New Thippasandra

Save parks

The time has come to save our parks, avenue trees and lakes from destruction in the name of "development". Without these natural assets, Bangalore will become impossible to live in. Maintaining the ecological balance is critical to timely rainfall and not too much of it and in keeping groundwater recharged. One has to look at the plight of some other cities to realise how lucky we are. Let us not squander the bounty the nature has endowed us with.

Uma Vasudev,

Jayanagar

Nurture them

Trees are planted whenever most new layouts come up. Without proper care, a few of them grow to maturity. Mindless chopping of branches and too much of concrete around the base of trees with little room for roots to spread, are all reasons why most roadside trees wither and often fall after a gale. Environment education right from school level is a must and all trees cut down on public places should be replaced without delay.

S. Pishe,

Indiranagar

Greenhouse effect

It takes 40 to 50 years for a tree to grow tall enough to provide shade; it can be cut down within a day with the kind of tools now available. Without enough green cover, summers may, in another decade, become unbearably hot.

We destroy the greenery around us without thought and find convenient excuses such as the "greenhouse effect". The so-called environmental groups are more bothered with issues such as tiger poaching and bird flu and not about their immediate surroundings.

R. Krishnaswamy,

Basavanagudi

Let us unite

When man tampers with nature, the latter strikes back. Not many of us are bothered about the upkeep of parks in our own neighbourhood or about the trees just outside our compounds.

"They are public property," we say, forgetting we are the public who benefit from them. Unless all citizens act to save the precious little greenery that still remains in the city, Bangalore will become a concrete jungle.

M. Faziuddin,

Shivajinagar