Plant more trees, activists tell city

Plant more trees, activists tell city
Bengaluru,







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Ecologists say the initiative must be more widespread to make sure that the green cover is more uniformly distributed in the city
Concerned environmentalists who acknowledge that development is inevitable in a growing city like Bengaluru, feel the only way to keep it green is to plant more trees wherever possible.

They point out that educational institutions, hospitals, offices, apartments, open sites and even parks in the city still have open spaces which could be used for mass tree planting programmes.

While several private organisations and MNCs have gone green in their outlook and are coming forward to plant trees in their grounds, ecologists say the initiative must be more widespread to make sure that the green cover is more uniformly distributed in the city.

Says noted environmentalist Suresh Heblikar, who is working towards planting one million saplings through Eco-Watch, “Development cannot be avoided. So all we can do is grow more trees. The authorities must realise that every standing tree is an important asset.” He laments that a number of trees are being reduced to stumps without reason.

“For instance, trees are being cut on Palace Road when they could easily have been saved , particularly the heritage variety. One must realise that no citizen of Bengaluru wants to lose the city’s green cover,” Mr Heblikar adds.

But some feel the police is barking up the wrong tree in trying to decongest the city roads. It should be tackling one-ways more scientifcally, in their view. “In an urban set-up vehicles move towards the city in the morning hours and towards its periphery in the evenings. The second journey is usually long and tedious. The police must come out with innovative measures such as reversing the one-ways on a day to day basis depending on what time the traffic is heading where,” says biodiversity expert M.B. Krishna.