Metro project to take up afforestation

Metro project to take up afforestation
Deccan Herald

By way of giving back what it may take away from the Garden City, stakeholders to the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) project will engage themselves in painting the City green by planting 15,000 seedlings....

By way of giving back what it may take away from the Garden City, stakeholders to the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) project will engage themselves in painting the City green by planting 15,000 seedlings.

It is to be noted that close to 1,500 trees on the various alignments are being felled or pruned to make way for the Metro, and works in this regard have already begun.

BMRC has already paid a compensation of Rs 66 lakh to the Karnataka Forest Department for cutting the trees, and is obliged to plant 10 trees for every tree felled.

The afforestation drive is being taken up jointly by the Forest Department (7,000 seedlings), Bangalore Development Authority (5,000 seedlings) and the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (3,000 seedlings).

BMP’s Tree Officer Krishna Udapadi told Deccan Herald that the census of trees to be felled will be taken up soon. It involves marking of the trees, their girth measurement and species identification.

“Only after specific details of all the 1,500 trees are collected—within one month—will the permission to fell or prune be given,” he said. The replanting would be complete before the monsoon ends.

“The BMP will not start replanting either until tree census is over,” he said, adding, replanting would be taken up on identified roads, schools, hospitals and parks that fall in the East-West or the North-South Corridor of the project. Rupees eight lakh has been sanctioned to the BMP in this regard.

On the species to be planted, Deputy Conservator of Forests, BDA, Mr Venkatesh said only hardwood species would be planted. “We have realised that softwood species are not wind-sturdy or long-lasting and easily get uprooted in the rains,” he said.

Fruits & flowers

He also stated that “Because of the sparse population in Anjanapura layout, it would be ideal to start planting the 5,000 saplings alloted to the BDA here.” Fruit and flowering species will be planted before August 15, he noted.

To avoid “butchering” once trees outgrow the KPTCL overhead lines, only short-statured trees will be planted in those areas. The Forest Department will plant trees on vacant plots, road sides, institutional grounds and the like. While by the first year planting would be over, the second and third year would be devoted to their maintenance.

Among the institutions identified, Rajiv Gandhi TB Hospital is one where “a certain number” of trees will be planted, he noted.

HC ORDER

Cutting of trees in the State will not be permitted until two saplings are planted for every tree felled felled. The authorities should take care of new saplings for at least two years.

The state government too has given an undertaking to the court to follow its instructions and evolve new norms accordingly.

TREES TO BE CUT

East-West corridor:

On MG Road - 82 trees

CMH Road- 72 trees

North-South Corridor

K R Road - 132 trees

Kuvempu Road - 57 ()

Replanting to be complete by September