Giving City a green hue

Giving City a green hue
DH News Service, Bangalore:
It appears like everyone in the City wanted to contribute his or her mite towards preserving the environment. This was clearly reflected in the celebrations organised by different government departments, educational institutions and private concerns to mark the World Environment Day on Thursday.


The most important development was the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station declared open at Kadabesanahalli at Outer Ring Road by Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) Chairman H C Sharath Chandra. Set up at a cost of around Rs 70 lakh, the station is equipped with highly sophisticated instruments and its analysers work round-the-clock to enable real time data to be displayed at prominent public places nearby.

Member Secretary, KSPCB, Venkatesh said two more such stations would come up in the City, one at Peenya and another at Madivala. Sharath Chandra said that before the financial year concluded, Mysore, Hubli and Belgaum would have such stations.

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa planted a sapling at Taj West End Grounds to mark the day.

The GKVK campus of The University of Agricultural Sciences will plant 6,000 plants of 20 different species in ten days. The Horticulture Department planted 27 saplings of different species on Thursday with department secretary Ganeshan launching it. A total of 500 different species will be planted during the rainy season.

Bangalore Development Authority conducted plantation drive at Doddakallasandra. BDA chairman B Siddaiah said it woud give priority to develop greenery in its layouts.

The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) organised a workshop in which its green initiatives in 20 bus depots, such as operating 800 of its buses on ‘Ethanol’ blended diesel and biofuel, were highlighted. K M Shivakumar, Principal Secretary, transport department, said the KSRTC plans to operate a majority of its fleet on renewable energy based bio-fuels, including ‘Jathropa’.

Use less power

At a function at ‘Parisara Bhavan’ Arvind Jannu, Secretary, Ecology and Environment department, stressed upon the need for each individual to reduce electricity consumption. For one unit of energy consumed, the thermal power station releases 900 gms of Carbon-di-oxide in the process of producing it. “If ten families are able to save consumption of 100 units of electricity, then the emission of 1,000 kg of CO2 can be prevented.” Agricultural University Vice Chancellor P G Chengappa also spoke.

Students’ campaign

The eco club of St Germain High School organised a half-a-day awareness campaign in association with the Parent Teachers Association. Samplings were distributed to over 400 students. Bharat Scouts and Guides celebrated the day with a route march of scouts and guides flagged off by Lalithamma, Joint Director, Youth Services and Sports department. Environmentalist Shivamallu also took part.

Students of Institute of Business Management and Research launched a ‘Save the Earth’ campaign with the support of Public Relations Society of India.

A bicycle rally in which 200 students of Basaveshwaranagar took part was flagged off by MLAs Dr Aswath Narayan and Narendra Babu. The rally, organised by Rachana Samste, took off from Havanoor Circle at Basaveshwaranagar at 7 am and went through Shankar Mutt Circle and Navrang Circle before terminating at Mariappannapalya Circle.

At a programme organised by the Bharatiya Samaja Seva Trust, freedom fighter H S Doreswamy distributed 15 saplings to students of Sri Vivekananda Education Society at its premises at 4th Block, Jayanagar.