More than 400 saplings planted, clarifies MLA

More than 400 saplings planted, clarifies MLA
Jayanagar MLA Vijay Kumar says he has already planted more than 400 saplings to compensate for the trees being felled by BMRCL for the Metro railway in the neighbourhood.
Vijay Kumar's statement comes in response to the article Cityplus published expressing concern over the failure of the committee to compensate for the loss of trees to the Metro railway project.
The paper had written that the committee, chaired by MLA Vijay Kumar and represented by 26 residents' welfare associations, had not met even for once. But what is true is that the purpose of the committee has been served even though it has not met, he says. In other words, the MLA has managed to plant the trees as part of compensating for the trees cut.
"We have planted more than 400 saplings, after choosing important species," the MLA said over the phone. According to him, saplings were planted in JP Nagar, where he found a vast vacant space for developing greenery.
BMRCL is likely to uproot 188 trees and prune the remaining 202 on RV Road. At a meeting with local residents, Metro chief Shivsailam had said that BMRCL would have to fell nearly 200 trees between the Lalbagh Botanical Garden and Puttenahalli.
Some of the officials from BMRCL were also present when saplings were planted, he said.
Vijay Kumar has even identified a sprawling government land, close to the place through which Metro rail passes, that he says will be developed into a mini-forest.