Young trees, not saplings can replenish green cover

Young trees, not saplings can replenish green cover

Bio diversity parks will ensure that citizens become more environment-friendly

Sunitha Rao R. Bangalore



Bangaloreans call the city 'Green Paradise'. But KC Sharma, former director of horticulture at New Delhi Municipality, said the city would loose its green heritage if steps were not taken.
Speaking to DNA during his visit to the city for a seminar organised by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Plaike (BBMP), Sharma said, "No one has bothered to prune the trees in Bangalore. Tree surgery must be conducted regularly to rid them of excess burden of dead weight that they carry."
He explained that since the city's road levels have risen and are now reaching the neck of the tree, "the root system starts dying and there are chances of the tree drooping".
Interestingly, Sharma said that no agricultural university in India teaches tree surgery methods. "Tree surgery is not a nuclear science. It can be learnt out of interest. It only requires passion," said Sharma.
Sharma also seemed against planting of lakhs of saplings on the grounds that, "due to traffic conditions and negligence saplings die. What is required is planting trees that are three or four years old. This will ensure that they have 100% growth rate." He said that just 10,000 such trees would serve the purpose in Bangalore.
Sharma suggested that BBMP develop lakes in the city by promoting bamboo gardens, wood lands and jogging trails there. "There should be bio-diversity parks, colony parks, district parks which will attract people towards them and make them environmental friendly," said Sharma.