Drive to maintain city’s greenery

Drive to maintain city’s greenery
The civic agencies have plans to maintain the city’s green cover in the face of its changing dynamics, writes Leena Mudbidri


The three civic bodies Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagar Palike (BBMP), Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) and Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA) have chalked out plans for the greening of the city and the townships falling under their jurisdiction.
BDA: Focus on large layouts
According to B Venkatesh, Deputy Conservator of Forests, BDA, the new plans regarding the green cover for the city within BDA limits stated in the new comprehensive development plan (CDP) - Master Plan 2015 - will focus mainly on large layouts. "Last year, we planted over 6,000 saplings in Visweswaraya Layout and 15,000 saplings in Anjanapura Layout," informs Venkatesh. "This year we have planted 3,000 saplings in Banashankari 6th Stage and have drawn up definite plans for planting more trees this year," he says.
Large parks on the anvil
The official also reveals BDA's plans to develop new parks along the lines of the Cubbon Park and Lalbagh that lie within the BDA's jurisdiction. "Plans have been drawn up to develop large parks instead of several small ones, and to have vast expanse of tree groves and arboretums within these parks," he says. "Currently, as per the new CDP, development of two large tree parks will be taken up. One of these spreads over approximately 100 acres while the other one will be huge spanning 500 acres. These have been tentatively planned for the new layouts which have been demarcated in the new CDP," he adds. These large parks will then serve all the surrounding neighbourhoods unlike small ones that serve just the locality they are in.
BBMP’s green cover
With the formation of Greater Bangalore encompassing seven CMCs, one TMC and 111 villages spread over an area of 800 sq km, the BBMP has earmarked 15 percent of the area for the development of a green cover to include parks, boulevards and lakes. These development plans will be undertaken in phases and zone-wise. The Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) will undertake the funding of these projects, says Krishna Udapudi, Deputy Conservator of Forests, BBMP. The Janodyanavana project which began a couple of years ago is an ongoing one and several parks and lakes have been revived and developed on a continuous basis, he states.
For more greenery
In order to increase the green belt and conserve bio-diversity in the city, the BBMP is focussing on developing theme parks such as Hibiscus Gardens, Urban and Botanical Gardens, and so on.
Trees and nurseries
For the year 2007-08, the BBMP has planned a massive afforestation drive on either side of the roads, railway lines and other urban wastelands. In the next five years, there are plans to plant one million saplings in the areas coming under BBMP limits.
The BBMP's urban forestry wing has already developed nurseries in many parks. A central nursery at Giddenahalli off Magadi Road is currently under development. Adopt a park
The government's publicprivate partnership scheme is an ambitious one that involves corporate bodies and their participation in the ecofriendly drive towards preservation and maintenance of parks in the city. Around 35 parks around the city in various residential areas have been adopted by corporate houses. Another 25 new parks in the new zones will be taken up shortly under the JNNURM as well as the improvement of the Lakkasandra Quarry, the planning for which is going on, informs Udapudi.
Revival of lakes
Seventeen lakes have been earmarked for revival and Rs 15 crores has been sanctioned under JNNURM. Apart from government scrutiny, the Ministry of Environment and Forests will have to scrutinise these lakes before the implementation of any development plans, informs the official.
Allocation of funds
A Detailed Project Report (DPR) of BBMP is being prepared for rainwater harvesting and ground water recharging, use of treated recycled water in parks, and the environment management of lakes. "Once the DPR is completed these projects will be undertaken on a war-footing, the funds for which come from the JNNURM," informs Udapudi.
BMRDA belt
The five new townships demarcated under the BMRDA will also have a stipulated green cover under the government's township environment policy. According to the BMRDA plan for townships, each of the private developers will contribute to the creation and maintenance of a green cover. Each township will provide at least 15 percent of the total area as park, garden or playground with proper landscaping. The open spaces designated in the township will be developed and maintained by the developer and handed over to the BMRDA/LPA free of cost after full development of the township. This amenity will be open to the public. In addition to this, the developers will provide a green belt of 15 metres on either side of the main roads and of suitable width in respect of other roads.
In the economic infrastructure zone, residential zone and no-development zone, trees (150 to 400 trees per hectare) will be planted and maintained by the developer.